ISLAMABAD: In a development that would strengthen the lobby in Pakistan demanding lifting of the ban on screening of Indian films, the Lahore High Court has dismissed a petition seeking a direction against screening of Indian movies.

The Lahore High Court dismissed the petition by the Movie Artists Association of Pakistan (MAAP) on Wednesday even as Bollywood film `Taj Mahal' is to be released in theatres across the country.

`Taj Mahal' is the second film, after `Mughal-e-Azam,' to be screened commercially in Pakistan after the1965 ban. `Sohni Mehwal,' which has also been permitted for commercial screening, is expected to be released soon.

In his petition before the Lahore High Court, the MAAP president and Pakistani actor Yousaf Khan had argued that screening of Indian films violated the law enforced in 1965. He had also said Pakistani culture was different from the culture of India and that screening Indian movies would be "harmful to local culture and traditions."

Dismissing the MAAP plea, the court asked if there was any movie representing Pakistani culture and "whether the exhibition of Indian movies before 1965 had effected or damaged our ideology."

No violation: court

If Pakistan's ideology and culture were not affected by the exhibition of films from Hollywood and other countries, how could the Indian films cause any danger to the ideology and culture, the court asked. It also held that the Government's decision to allow exhibition of Indian movies did not violate any legal jurisdiction. "When all Indian movies were available in the country on DVDs and CDs, then why should they not be exhibited in cinemas?" the judge asked.

The verdict came even as stars Bollywood and Lollywood stars converged in Lahore at the premier of `Taj Mahal' starring Sonia Jehan, grand daughter of Pakistan's legendary singer Noorjahan. Talking to Acting Governor of Punjab Chaudhary Muhammad Afzal Sahi in Lahore, Ms. Soni offered to organise a festival of Pakistani films in Mumbai. She said determination of the scope of political, economic and cultural cooperation between Pakistan and India was an important part of the composite dialogue between them.

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