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"Why is the Government banning popular entertainment channels?" screamed a huge front- page advertisement put out by the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan. Though it did not identify the channels, the reference was obviously to the Indian television channels that beam popular serials and Bollywood films.
In an appeal to the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the cable-operators sought help to "save the cable industry" that provided employment to over two lakh people across the country.
The cable-operators have been hit by the decision of the Pakistan Government to impose a blanket ban on all Indian channels, both entertainment and news, after escalation of tensions with New Delhi.
Reports in the Press suggest that the cable industry had been hit by the ban. Not only had number of subscribers come down, but also some entrepreneurs had made millions by selling video copies of popular soap operas on the Indian channels.
Video piracy in Pakistan is rampant and virtually every new Bollywood film is released through the "underground network" almost a day in advance of its scheduled release.
To circumvent the ban, the cable-operators had begun beaming old and latest Bollywood films on the local channels.
The Information Ministry recently came down heavily on this practice and threatened serious action. Improved Indo-Pakistan ties appear to have prompted the cable industry to launch an aggressive campaign for restoration of Indian channels.
The Government, however, appears
to be in no mood to oblige. The issue figured at the recent meeting between
the delegation of Indian parliamentarians and Gen. Musharraf in which the
latter had stuck to the view that some Indian channels indulged in propaganda.
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