Although Indian-Pakistan relations are not as tense as a few months ago, when war seemed a possibility, PEMRA (the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) has ordered the closing of all Indian TV cable channels in Pakistan. The ban has seriously affected business as viewers are discontinuing cable subscriptions when they do not get any popular entertainment in their language. “Over 98 per cent of the viewers on our cable system want to watch popular Urdu (Indian) channels said Malik Furgan, president of the Cable Operator Association.
Cable operators will observe a seven-day countrywide strike if a ban on showing Indian programmes is not lifted.