The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed the Attorney General of Pakistan to verify from the Pakistani embassy in India whether the shooting of the film Rambo Rajkumar took place in India or the UK.
Justice Muhammad Khalid Mahmood Khan passed the orders on a petition seeking permission for screening of the film in Pakistan.
The petition had been filed by film importers. Their counsel on Friday submitted that the Pakistan Film Censor Board was not allowing the exhibition of the film in the country because of a stay order issued by this court against exhibition of illegally imported films.
He contended that the petitioner had fulfilled all legal formalities for the film’s import. He said the film was shot in England, not in India.
He said the petitioners would have to bear losses if the ban was not lifted.
The Pakistan Film Censor Board law officer told the court that Rambo Rajkumar was shot in India. He said under the law its screening was not permitted in the country.
The judge then observed that the exhibition of illegally imported films could not be allowed in Pakistan at any cost.
The court adjourned hearing till December 12.
Petition against screening Indian content filed in LHC
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday received a writ petition seeking ban on screenings of Indian films, dramas, advertisements, stage shows, game shows and other programmes in Pakistan.
The petitioner, Mubashar Luqman, has named the interior secretary, the Central Board of Censor, the Federal Board of Revenue, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as respondents.
The petitioner said the exhibition of Indian films and programmes violated Section 270-A Motion Pictures Ordinance 1979 and Martial Law Order Number 81.
The petitioner requested the court to issue directions to the respondents to stop the exhibition of Indian content on local TV channels.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2013.