Monday, August 1 2005 21:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Maintaining its ban on import of Indian films, Pakistan has decided not to exempt even those jointly produced between Bollywood and Lollywood or featuring Pakistani actors.

A list of 30 banned items under the Government's Import Policy Order of 2005 also included translation of Quran books from India without the Arabic text.

The new Order banned any "cinematograph film wholly or partly exposed or developed in any Pakistani or Indian language, with or without a sound track and depicting Pakistani or Indian way of living either silent or dubbed, or in which leading roles have been played by Pakistani or Indian actors or actresses."

The Government's move has already been explained by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to a delegation of Pakistani film makers when they met him recently urging the Government to re-examine the policy of banning Indian films from being screened in Pakistan.

The ban had adversely affected theatre owners, who incurred heavy losses and started converting the buildings into shopping malls.

Banning the Quran books from India was reportedly aimed at preventing various interpretations of the text, especially that of Deoband sect of Islam which has strong references to Jihad.

"Translation of the Holy Quran without Arabic text, goods bearing any words or inscription of a religious connotation, the use or disposal of which may injure the religious feelings of any sect, class or group of people in Pakistan" have been banned, according to the Daily Times.

Goods or containers bearing "any obscene pictures, writings, inscriptions or visible representations" also come under the banned items.

The new list also banned anti-Islamic, obscene or subversive literature as also "any goods containing ingredients or parts which may be repugnant to the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet such as pigs, hogs, boars and swines and their products and by-products."

Pakistan had declined to lift the ban on films during last week's talks of Cultural Secretaries here to discuss Friendly Exchanges.

Indian Culture Secretary Nina Rajnan said after the talks that Pakistan had not responded positively to India's request even after India has agreed to host Pakistan Film Festivals of Urdu and Punjabi films.

Large sections of Pakistan film makers as well as film artists were hoping that Pakistan Government would reverse its policy since the 1965 war of banning Indian made films, in view of the peace process between the two countries.

Other items in the import ban list include dyes containing benzidine, hazardous wastes, alcoholic beverages and spirits, including brewing and distilling drugs and waste, wine lees and argol and any edible product not fit for human consumption.