Screening ban: LHC seeks govt permit

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought by Tuesday (today) a permit earlier granted by the Punjab government for the exhibition of Pakistani film Maalik. The judge was hearing petitions filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Advocate Munir Ahmad.

Earlier, the Ministry of Information submitted that it had the right to ban exhibition of any film.

The counsel for the petitioners stated that the ministry had issued a notification dated April 27 banning the exhibition of the film. He said that the Censor Board had given its approval for its exhibition.

“After the passage of the 18th Amendment, the central government has no authority to ban the screening of a movie. The matter has been devolved to provinces,” he said.

He said that the film did not undermine the sovereignty of the state or any social values.

He said that movies were a popular medium to raise awareness about social evils. “The film is about the menace of corruption. Such movies should not be banned,” he said. He requested the court to set aside the notification banning the exhibition of the movie. He said that the movie could prove helpful in understanding the mechanism used to misuse their powers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2016.