‘Damages Our Culture’: Chief Justice Of Pakistan Says Indian Content Will Not Be Aired On Pakistani Channels 

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Wednesday (9 January 2019) stated while hearing an appeal that Indian television content would not be aired on Pakistani channels as it ‘damages their culture’, reports The New Indian Express.

The matter relates to a High Court ban on Indian television content which has been challenged in the Supreme Court, although the matter has not been finally adjudicated yet.

The appeal has been filed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), whose Chairman Saleem Baig explained to the court that foreign content constituted about 65 per cent of all streaming on a channel called Filmazia, with the percentage going as high 80 on some occasions.

Responding to him, Chief Justice Nisar stated, “we will not allow Indian content to be aired on (Pakistani) channels.”

PEMRA counsel Zafar Iqbal Kalanauri stated that Filmazia was just an entertainment channel and not a news channel; it had no propaganda.

“It is, however, damaging our culture,” the CJP replied.

No final judgment was passed in the case since the counsel from the Pakistani Broadcasters’ Association was not in attendance during the hearing, and it has been adjourned for another hearing in February.

Some people see the growing hostility against Indian entertainment content as part of a tit for tat response against the actions taken by some sections of the Indian industry against Pakistani artistes.