The
release
of
much-anticipated
Bollywood
film
Raees
starring
Shahrukh
Khan
and
Pakistani
actress
Mahira
Khan,
was
on
Monday
(6th
Feb)
banned
in
Pakistan
due
to
its
"objectionable" content.
The
Central
Board
of
Film
Certification
(CBFC)
said
the
Rahul
Dholakia
directorial,
which
marks
Mahira
Khan's
Bollywood
debut,
will
not
release
in
the
country.
The
film
was
scheduled
to
hit
Pakistani
cinemas
on
Sunday.
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Sources
in
the
know
said
the
reason
behind
the
ban
was
that
"the
content
undermines
Islam,
and
a
specific
religious
sect,
(It
also)
portrays
Muslims
as
criminals,
wanted
persons
and
terrorists".
Most
members
objected
to
the
film's
release,
an
official
of
the
Punjab
censor
board
said,
adding
that
they
will
follow
the
decision
of
the
central
censor
board.
The
self-imposed
ban
on
Bollywood
films
ended
on
February
1
as
Karachi's
Atrium
Cinemas
screened
Hrithik
Roshan
starrer
Kaabil.
The
information
ministry
and
CBFC
also
cleared
Karan
Johar's
"Ae
Dil
Hai
Mushkil" for
screening
in
the
country.
Last
week,
Prime
Minister
Nawaz
Sharif
gave
the
thumbs
up
to
the
Information
and
Broadcasting
Ministry
to
lift
the
"ban" by
issuing
No
Objection
Certificate
to
Indian
films,
subject
to
clearance
by
the
Censor
Board.
According
to
an
official
handout
issued
by
the
Information
Ministry,
the
government
was
"pleased
to
continue
the
existing
open
policy
to
display
all
international
movies
(including
Indian
films)
in
Pakistani
cinemas".
The
statement,
however,
pointed
out
that
the
cinema
houses
would
be
allowed
to
screen
movies
only
after
approval
from
relevant
censor
boards.
Following
the
tensions
over
an
attack
on
an
Indian
army
base
in
Uri,
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
and
surgical
strikes
across
the
Line
of
Control
in
September
last
year,
Pakistani
cinema
owners
had
decided
not
to
screen
Indian
movies
until
the
atmosphere
became
better.
They
took
the
decision
after
the
Indian
Motion
Picture
Producers'
Association
banned
all
Pakistani
artists
from
working
in
film
projects
in
India.