Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Friday adjourned the hearing of a petition until the first week of September, seeking a ban on sale of vulgar CDs and stage dramas and their telecast on cable network.
Central Film Censor Board Vice Chairman Ashraf Gondal informed the court that it is not the board’s duty to monitor or ban sale of vulgar dance CDs and performances of stage dancers. He said that such activities fall under purview of the Motion Picture Ordinance while the board is only responsible to censor obscene dances from films. On this, the CJ remarked that it is a sensitive and serious issue so all sides should provide proper assistance to court.
The LHC CJ is hearing a case against singers Naseebo Lal and Nooran Lal for singing vulgar songs in 2009 and cable TV channels, whom are accused of spreading obscenity in society through their stage dramas and dances. He said that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) had not taken any action against them.
Petitioner Advocate Asif Mehmood Khan submitted that the departments concerned, in connivance with some other elements, were violating the law and the constitution by spoiling the integrity, sanctity and morality of society. He said Naseebo and Nooran Lal, along with other respondents, were busy in making and singing indecent and immoral songs. Asif said that the shelter given by the Punjab government to the singers under the Motion Picture Ordinance 1979 was of illegal and heinous nature against the integrity and sanctity of society.
The petitioner requested the court to impose a complete ban on all audio/video songs of the two singers. Previously, the court had ordered police to launch a crackdown against elements involved in this illegal business, observing that according to the constitution, Islam and Sunnah are the supreme laws of the land and no immoral activity could be allowed to continue. The senior superintendent of police (SSP) has been directed to submit a report within one month.
‘Film censor board cannot ban vulgar CDs’
