ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam Tuesday recommended to stop airing Indian contents on Pakistani TV channels as India was also not allowing Pakistani contents on their TV channels.
Participating in a debate titled “A debate of Foreign Contents on Pakistani Entertainment Channels,” he said Pakistan should give matching response to India by banning airing of Indian contents on its TV channels.
In this connection, he said a summary had been sent to the federal government in which it is clearly recommended that transmission of Indian channels and content should be linked subject to permission of airing Pakistani content by India.
These recommendations will result in complete ending the policy given in the era of General Pervez Musharraf and will promote Pakistani media industry, he said.
The airing of Indian content was allowed by government of Shaukat Aziz and now only federal government could take a decision on it.
Till the annulment of this decision, television channels, FM radios and cable operators will be restricted to broadcast only six percent of their transmission as Indian content.
PEMRA has decided to immediately close the channels airing foreign contents after October 15, that too without giving any showcause notice, he said adding that an awareness campaign would soon be launched on media against airing foreign contents on TV channels.
Responding to a question, he said PEMRA is in contact with all federal and provincial governments and is determined to make the campaign of banning Indian Direct to Home (DTH) successful and effective.
PEMRA also announced a policy regarding Landing Rights. Under the new policy, fees will be considerably decreased and all phases will be made easy so that more international channels can be aired in Pakistan and viewers get better and quality entertainment. However dubbing would not be allowed.
The channels should stop showing Indian contents on their own, he expressed the wish that channels focusing on education, research and environment sciences should be promoted so that youth could be attracted to education and research and their potential is utilized positively.
He said it is also a fact that Pakistani dramas are costly and they have identical topics. Pakistani producers should also keep in mind our social values while producing dramas.
Responding to a question, he said Pakistani laws are completely silent about advertisements containing Indian contents. There is no ban on appearing of any foreigner in Pakistani advertisement.
United Producers Association (UPA) representative and renowned artiste Samina Ahmed said UPA has 160 members. PEMRA should restrict foreign contents as such contents have shrunk local industry. Foreign contents have seized identity of local industry.
President UPA Satish Anand assured support to government, PEMRA.
