Pemra Chairman Saleem Baig told the court that 65 percent of the contents shown on Filmazia channel are foreign and that the number at times goes as high as 80 percent. The Pemra counsel explained to the Chief Justice that "Filmazia" is not a news channel but is an entertainment channel; it does not do any propaganda. "It is, however, damaging our culture," the CJP noted.
Zafar Iqbal Kalanauri Advocate apprised the bench that foreign contents had been banned on court's orders before a high court issued a stay order against it. The Chief Justice observed that Pakistan Broadcasters Association's counsel, Faisal Siddiqui was not in attendance. "We cannot pass a judgement without hearing him," he said.
The case was adjourned until first week of February. In 2016, Pemra had imposed a complete ban on airing Indian contents on local television and FM radio channels. The decision was largely seen as a tit-for-tat move after similar actions were taken by some channels and the entertainment industry in India against Pakistani contents and artists. In 2017, the Lahore High Court had lifted the Pemra-imposed ban, declaring it null and void as the federal government had no objections regarding the same. In October 2018, the Supreme Court had reinstated the ban on the transmission of Indian contents on local television channels, setting aside the LHC orders.