Federal law officer given two weeks to file comments on ‘Maalik’ ban

Karachi: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the federal law officer to file comments, within two weeks, on a petition seeking revocation of the ban imposed on screening the Pakistani film, ‘Maalik’.

Petitioner Ashir Azeem, the writer and director of the film, had approached the court against the ministry of information and broadcasting’s decision regarding decertifying the movie.

Azeem maintained that the Sindh board of film censor issued a provisional certificate on April 6 allowing the movie to be exhibited in cinemas across the province, while it was also cleared by the Islamabad and Punjab censor boards.

The filmmaker further submitted in his petition that despite the film being run in cinemas for three, first the Sindh board of film censor suspended the certificate on April 26 which was, however, withdrawn on the same date, but on April 27 the ministry of information and broadcasting declared the film ‘uncertified’ under the motion picture ordinance and was ordered to be taken down from cinemas across Pakistan with immediate effect.

Azeem maintained that the movie was based on social issues and a negative political system and did not mean to target the current political government, institution or any other authority.

The petitioner’s counsel stated that the notice was unlawful as the petitioner had not received any prior show cause notice under the ordinance, and the film does not contain any scenes which would or could damage the image of the country.

He submitted that the impugned order was issued without taking on record the proceedings in relation with the film and it was contrary to the motion picture ordinance and other relevant laws. The court was requested to set the order aside and revoke the ban on the film’s screening. Additional attorney general Salman Talibuddin sought time to file comments on the petition on behalf of ministry of information and broadcasting and others.

SHC’s division bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah granting the federal officer time directed him to file comments in two weeks.