Movie ban: Govt seeks time to reply on Maalik petition

Rasheed’s counsel said that after 18th Amendment, the federal government had no authority to ban films

LAHORE: Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of Lahore High Court allowed the federal government and other respondents to file their replies by May 23 on two petitions challenging a ban on exhibition of the film Maalik.

The judge had earlier sought replies from the federal and Punjab governments, the Film Censor Board and others. On Thursday, a law officer for the federal and the provincial governments sought more time to file the replies.

Leader of Opposition in the Provincial Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Advocate Munir Ahmad had moved the petitions.

Rasheed’s counsel told the court that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had banned the film through a notification issued on April 27. He said the Film Censor Board had earlier given approval for its exhibition. He said that after 18th Amendment, the federal government had no authority to ban films.

“Issues pertaining to motion pictures have been devolved to provinces,” he said.

He said the film discussed corruption which was an important issue in the wake of Panama Leaks.

He said the film was no threat to the sovereignty of the state.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.