ISLAMABAD: One of Pakistan's well-known television personalities says the Musharraf regime has deliberately allowed Indian entertainment channels to be shown once again by cable operators here to divert attention from private Pakistani news channels that are focussed on protests against the ouster of the Chief Justice.

The Government officially banned Indian channels in December 2005 but over the last few days, cable operators have been openly showing Star Plus, Sony and B4U. The Government has not issued an official notification permitting these channels, but it has not made any move to enforce its ban either.

"The idea seems to be to let the Indian entertainment channels compete with the Pakistani news channel," said Talat Hussain, who anchors a popular news show on Aaj TV.

Beginning April, Pakistani viewers have been watching programmes such as Sharukh Khan's Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the Hindi teledrama about scheming, conspiring women. And both appear to be enormously popular, especially with female and teenaged audiences.

But according to Mr. Hussain, the Government has not succeeded in its intentions.

"Current affairs is itself really entertaining these days. The viewership of the channels that are reporting what is really happening has gone up tremendously," he said.

It is no secret that the regime is unhappy with the live television coverage of the lawyers' agitation against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary's removal, that has grown to include Opposition political parties. Even the attack by policemen on the offices of Geo TV last month was captured on camera and beamed across the world, forcing President Musharraf to apologise to the channel.

Cable operators said that they heard unofficially that they could go ahead and show the Indian channels, and as the demand for these channels is high, they lost no time showing them.

However, another popular television personality, Kamran Khan, whose cutting-edge news show was held to be the main reason for the police attack on Geo TV, said he could not say for sure if the motive behind the quiet re-introduction of the Indian channels was to divert viewers from Pakistani news channels.

"The fact is, even after the ban, cable operators never stopped showing Indian channels. Ninety per cent of viewers were always getting these channels right through," Mr. Khan said, adding it was doubtful if the Indian channels had made a dent in the viewership of news programmes.

But Mr. Hussain pointed out that when the Government was serious about the ban, cable operators showed these channels only clandestinely because of the fear of being hauled up.

"It was never so blatant, or as public, as it is now. The Government is suddenly showing incredible tolerance for Indian channels. It is unprecedented," said Mr. Hussain.

Officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority were not available for comment. When contacted, an official of the Information Ministry said the Government of Pakistan followed a non-discriminatory approach to Indian channels.

"We neither favour nor are we against them", he said, adding that New Delhi followed a discriminatory policy against Pakistani channels by not allowing them to be shown in India.

He said he was not aware that the Pakistan Government had banned Indian channels in 2005.

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