India plans to lift ban on Pakistani TV

Zeenews Bureau

Mumbai: Ushering a new hope to strengthen cultural and friendly ties between Indian and Pakistan, the former has assured the latter that it will consider a proposal to lift the ban on Pakistani television channels in the country. This came after a strong pitch last week proposing India allow transmission of not just Pakistan government channel (PTV) but also private channels, both news and non-news. The plan originated after Pakistani foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani made a strong appeal to let Pakistani channels enter Indian homes, since in Pakistan, not only national but Indian private channels are also telecast. During talks between the two countries here last week, Pakistanis told the Indian delegation, led by foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai, that if India wanted to spruce up people-to-people contacts, it must allow Pakistani channels to be seen in India. Indians seem to have conceded the point. "It was conveyed to them (Pakistan) that India will look positively at the proposal although the matter will have to be first discussed by the information and broadcasting ministry and its counterpart in Pakistan," said a source, adding that PTV`s "anti-India" campaign in the past over internal issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, has been a concern.