Pakistan has banned Indian films from being screened in cinemas across the nation, its government announced on Thursday, 8 August amidst rising tensions between the two countries over Kashmir. Firdous Ashiq Awan, special assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting has said this action is in retaliation to India's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution, which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to to the media outside Parliament House, Awan claimed the Pakistani government was making various efforts to highlight the current situation in Kashmir internationally. According to reports, these include consultations at the United Nations by Pakistan's Representative Maleeha Lodhi, and contacting heads of governments of other countries, besides diplomatic engagements.
Pakistan has routinely announced bans on Indian films. Last year, titles such as Raazi, Mulk, PadMan and Veere Di Wedding were among those that were refused a release in the country. In October 2018, the Pakistan Film Producers Association (PFPA) had demanded a complete ban on the release of Indian films in the country citing that they had been hurting the business of the local film industry.
On 5 March this year, a little over two weeks after 40 CRPF personnel were martyred in a terror attack on 14 February, Pakistan's Supreme Court set aside an earlier ruling by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and reinstated a ban on the airing of Indian content on local television channels.
(With inputs from IANS)
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