KARACHI: The government of Pakistan has asked Pakistani banks immediately ban this country’s online payments for subscribing to Indian electronic media content, according to a media report on Friday.
The decision was made by Cabinet on November 9, Dawn newspaper reported, adding that banking authorities were also asked to submit a compliance report to the State Bank of Pakistan, the country’s central bank, by November 13. .
“We received a letter from the cabinet division of the Government of Pakistan, instructing us to stop different modes of payment, including credit cards, to subscribe (to) Indian content in Pakistan, including video on demand Zee5 service ”, according to the circular.
“It is recommended to ensure meticulous compliance with the aforementioned Government of Pakistan instructions and submit the status of compliance to the State Bank of Pakistan before November 13, 2020,” the circular adds.
When contacted, the former president of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam said that Indian content has already been banned in Pakistan, so the new circular could affect online payments for the Direct to service. Home (DTH).
He said that those who have DTH facilities mainly use Indian content and make payments online.
Now the subscriber cannot pay directly from Pakistan, but the Indian provider can receive payments from other countries such as United Arab Emirates.
In India, DTH broadcasting service refers to the distribution of Multichannel TV programs using a satellite system and providing television signals directly to subscribers’ facilities.
There is no data available on how many Pakistanis are using this option to subscribe to Indian content.
The bankers said they just have to make sure Pakistan doesn’t pay for Indian content.
In response to a question, an official from one of the largest local channels said that he subscribed to only some content from India and that all payments are made Dubai, so no online payment was required from Pakistan.
Sources in entertainment circles said they were certain that the online payment mode ban was imposed after a drama series that is broadcast on an Indian channel, according to the report.
The show generated controversy when PEMRA banned it in Pakistan after a backlash over a clip that went viral on social media, according to the report.
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