After imposing a ban on Indian films for many months, Pakistan will resume screening of them soon. This decision was taken after a committee of government officials met the shareholders in this matter. The members then recommended Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to allow the screening of Indian movies.
After getting approval from Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan’s information and broadcasting ministry issued a letter late Tuesday for lifting the ban. The letter read the country was pleased to continue the existing open policy to screen all international films including those from India. The letter added that any importers who are interested in screening an Indian movie will have to file a request to the ministry of information and broadcasting. This ministry will further issue directive to the ministry of commerce to process the same.
The importers, however, will be allowed to screen movies after the relevant censor boards approve it.
Also read: Some Pakistani cinema halls boycott Indian films
After the lifting of the ban, it is expected that Kaabil and Raees will release in Pakistan soon. The cinema owners in Pakistan had earlier said that banning of Indian films had caused a dip of 70% in their profits. So, screening Indian movies again seemed the only legit way they could cope up with it.
The ban on Indian movies had come as a reiteration after artists from Pakistan were disallowed to work in India. The guild had taken this decision in the wake of Uri attacks and the surgical strikes that followed last year. This led to an increase in hostilities between India and Pakistan, and a call to ban Pakistani artists had gained momentum in India. It was because of this that actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan received a lot of flak and the filmmakers they worked with too faced ire.
