New Delhi, June 1
India today strongly raised the issue of Pakistan lifting ban on Indian films and television channels and, on its part, Islamabad pitched for telecast of Pakistani plays on Indian TV channels.
These issues came up for some serious discussion at the two-day Culture Secretary-level talks that began here today, though no headway could be made on these.
As far as Pakistan’s lifting the ban on Indian films in Pakistan is concerned, such a scenario is nowhere on the horizon. The Pakistani side pointed out that Islamabad has already lifted the ban with regard to Indian films — Mughal-e-Azam and Taj Mahal — and it expected a similar gesture from New Delhi before the two countries moved further.
However, a positive development that took place today was that the two sides expressed a desire, perhaps for the first time in right earnest, to host mutual film festivals. A formal announcement of their agreement to hold mutual film festivals will take place tomorrow.
When the Culture Secretary-level talks end tomorrow, the two sides may agree on some bilateral mechanism for the two countries’ film industries interacting with each other in a loose arrangement of a seminar or a workshop. The two sides will issue a Joint Press Statement tomorrow, mentioning specific outcome.
Pakistan proposed to India to host a cultural and tourism festival in Mohenjodaro and India lapped it up.
The two countries also discussed issues related to piracy of films and books, the need for availability of newspapers and magazines in each other’s country and relaxation of artists’ visas to ensure their easier
movement. The two sides are led by Indian Culture Secretary Badal Das and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil
Abbas.
