Screening ban: Maalik decision justifiable

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Tuesday said that the Punjab Censor Board’s decision about screening of movie Maalik would be subject to the court’s ruling. The court also sought details from the board about its May 30 meeting, which, the petitioner’s counsel claimed, had been convened to provide legal cover to the federal government’s ban on the exhibition of the movie. Petitioner’s counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka said the provincial censor board had held a meeting on May 30 in which it had reviewed the ban imposed by federal government. “The federal government cannot exercise power on a provincial subject,” he said. Zaka sought court’s directions to restrain the provincial censor board from passing an adverse order while the matter was sub-judice. “The board reserved its decision. It is scheduled to be announced on June 1,” he said. The LHC issued notice to the censor board for June 2.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2016.