Pakistan to lift Bollywood ban |
Four months after Pakistan blocked Hindi films in its cinemas in a tit-for-tat after Bollywood banned Pakistani artists following the attack on the Army post in Uri, Islamabad moved to allow their screening with PM Nawaz Sharif announcing a committee to look into demands of local theatre owners who are bleeding financially. Under its import policy order, Pakistan had included Indian films in the list of banned items in the last decade. As per procedures adopted over the years, the commerce ministry issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) at the request of the information ministry for import of Indian films. The ministry has prepared a plan for allowing import of two to three Indian films a month through NOCs for screening in Pakistani cinemas. Nadeem Mandviwalla, owner of Atrium Cinema in Karachi, had earlier said that 70% of their business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood .They can survive a temporary suspension. But, if it continues, cinema owners might have to shut shop, he had said.
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