Daily Times

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza on Monday ordered production of permission letter granted earlier by the Punjab government for exhibition of Pakistani film ‘Maalik’.

The bench was hearing petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Advocate Munir Ahmad.

The Ministry of Information also submitted its reply, claiming that it had full authority to ban the exhibition of a film and its action against Maalik and the impugned notification was not illegal.

Mian Mehmood counsel Sheraz Zaka said that the Ministry Of Information, Broadcasting and Heritage, through a notification of April 27, had imposed ban on exhibition of this film. He submitted that the film censor board had earlier given approval for exhibition of the film. “After 18th amendment, the government had no authority to impose ban on any film while the matters pertaining to motion pictures were already devolved to provinces,” he stated, pleading that the film was on the topic of corruption issue, which was hot in the prevailing circumstances.

He submitted that film was neither against the sovereignty of the state nor it was against the social values, but still the government banned exhibition of the film in cinemas across the country. He said that it was high time when the people should be informed about the evils of corruption. The media of film is used to create awareness against the evils. The movie or drama made for the social development couldn’t be banned,” he added.

Petitioner Munir Ahmad’s counsel Muhammad Azhad Siddique submitted that after the Panama leaks issue, the said feature film would have probably helped in understanding the method, process and mechanism under which the ruling elite misuse their powers and play with the national interests of Pakistan. He added that the movie was not acceptable due to its theme, so the federal government, in connivance with the ministry, issued the impugned notification.