PFPA Demands Ban on Indian Films to Revive Pakistani Film Industry

PFPA Demands Ban on Indian Films to Revive Pakistani Film Industry

The PFPA (Pakistan Film Producers Association) has petitioned the Lahore High Court to ban all Indian films from playing in Pakistani cinema theatres, since, according to them, this is disrupting the national film industry. Indian films are very popular in Pakistan and many Pakistanis prefer them to local productions, but the reverse is not true. Few, if any, Pakistani films are screened in India. The PFPA is unhappy about this and would like Pakistani distributors to pay more attention to Pakistani films. They feel that a complete ban on Indian films will put a stronger spotlight on Pakistani films and this, in turn, will revive the once-thriving Pakistani film industry. In recent times, the Pakistani government has banned many newly released Indian films from opening in Pakistan.

It remains to be seen if this will have the intended positive impact on the Pakistani film industry. The bottom line is what the consumers want. If the Pakistani film industry can fulfill these wants, they are on the right track. Otherwise, with the Internet so readily available, consumers will watch what they want to and where they want to. From the point of view of cinema theatre owners, banning Indian films will not be good for business.