On November 20, the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) issued notices to all respondents in the long-standing case concerning the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) ban on the broadcast of Indian content on Pakistani television channels, and adjourned further proceedings indefinitely.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Aminuddin conducted the hearing. The case dates back to 2016, when PEMRA decided that Indian programming would no longer be aired in Pakistan. At the time of licensing, channels had originally been permitted to broadcast up to 10 percent Indian content.
In 2017, this policy was halted after Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, then Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, suspended PEMRA’s notification. The matter has since remained under litigation, with the FCC now addressing the latest phase of the dispute.
PEMRA currently enforces a complete ban on Indian content on Pakistani channels, including advertisements featuring Indian actors or characters. The regulator maintains that the ban is legally binding and regularly issues show-cause notices to operators found in violation.
Enforcement efforts intensified in April 2023 when, acting on the directions of the PEMRA chairman and in line with Supreme Court directives, regional offices in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Multan conducted surprise inspections and raids against cable operators accused of airing prohibited Indian channels and content. During these operations, equipment was confiscated, multiple networks were seized, and show-cause notices were issued.
PEMRA reiterated during these actions that only PEMRA-licensed channels may be distributed on cable networks, warning that violators would face legal action under applicable laws.
