Pakistan lifts its ban on Indian films

Pakistan has reversed its policy of banning the screening of Indian films. A statement by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, released on 31 January said: “The Federal Government is pleased to continue the existing open policy to display all international movies (including Indian films) in Pakistani cinemas.” This followed Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, sanctioning the move on 26 January. The ban is to be lifted immediately, which means Kaabil, the new film starring Hrithik Roshan, will be screened in Pakistan, as will Raees, the latest vehicle for Shah Rukh Khan, which is released next week. The ban was introduced in September 2016, as a response to the escalation of cross-border tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed territory of Kashmir. A ban on artists from Pakistan working in Indian cinema was called for by the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association; reciprocal action by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on Indian movies swiftly followed. Indian films account for around 70% of Pakistan’s box office, something the Ministry of Information statement seemed to acknowledge, saying that lifting the ban would help the “revival of the Pakistani film industry”. This relatively swift end to the cinematic conflict appears to defy the words of IMPPA president TP Aggarwal, who last year said: “No Pakistani will be hired by their producer members for ever.”