Case filed against Indian channel for airing Pakistani content

12 May, 2015

Now an Indian court has served a legal notice to Zee Zindagi for airing ‘Dastaan’ after complaints of promoting Pakistan’s narrative of partition.

‘Dastaan’ is a love story in the backdrop of Partition based on author Razia Butt’s book Bano, and was being aired on Zindagi channel after the name was changed to ‘Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam’. The serial stars Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan along with Mehreen Raheel and morning show host Sanam Baloch.

According to Indian media reports, Broadcast Content Complaints Council (BCCC), headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal, has served a notice to ‘Zee Zindagi’ and summoned its executives for a hearing. A Zee official denied receiving any legal notice from BCCC. Times of India, quoted sources as saying that the Information & Broadcast Ministry has not taken any action so far but has forwarded the complaints it received to the BCCC. Keeping in view the “sensitivity” of the matter, BCCC has asked the channel to respond to the complaints. The channel could be asked to modify the content or desist from re-telecast.

The popular drama was telecast as ‘Dastaan’ in Pakistan and the Indian channel have made necessary changes to telecast it for the Indian audience.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015

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