Pakistan on Friday banned all cultural exchanges with India, including all kinds of joint ventures between the entertainment industries of the two countries, amid rising hostilities after New Delhi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, Dawn reported.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also launched a national slogan saying “Say No to India”.
“All kinds of Indian content have been stopped and PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] has been directed to step up its vigilance in this regard along with actions against the sale of Indian DTH instruments,” said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan.
“On the one hand, we have enlightened moderate and progressive ideology while on the other the extremist government in India has shown their hard-line, terrorist, fanatic and anti-Muslim ideology,” Awan added.
She said it was necessary to contain Indian content, accusing it of spreading false propaganda. The deception of cultural exchange was also polluting the minds of Pakistani youth, she alleged.
The National Security Council had decided to establish a group to fight the “Hindutva” ideology from all fronts, Awan said.
The Pakistani official requested the media not to damage the national narrative on the matter by airing negative information based on sources, and claimed it was their responsibility to come to the forefront to defeat “Indian cultural invasion”.
Her statements came a day after the government banned the screening of Indian films in the country’s cinemas. In response, the All Indian Cine Workers Association on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a blanket ban on Pakistani artistes, diplomats and bilateral relations.
“Entire film industry and cine workers have refused to resume work, till there is a complete ban of Pakistani movie makers, artists, and trade partner,” read the statement.
On Monday, India revised Article 370 of Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and ordered all laws to be applicable in the region the way they are in the rest of the country. The contentious law had so far ensured that the state had its own laws, flag and a Constitution.
Pakistan, which has fought three wars with India over Kashmir, responded by downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending bilateral trade, and halting the Samjhauta Express and Thar Express train services between the two countries. India said Pakistan’s reaction was meant to present an “alarming picture” of bilateral relations to the international community. India added that Jammu and Kashmir was its integral part and hence it was an internal matter.
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