PBA bans Indian songs on Pakistani FM Radio

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) imposed a ban on the airing of Indian songs across Pakistani FM radio stations, in response to India’s baseless allegations against Pakistan and its increasingly hostile actions toward the Pakistani entertainment industry.

The decision followed India's accusation that Pakistan was involved in the April 22 attack in the tourist resort of Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives. Islamabad categorically denied any involvement in the incident.

Since then, tensions between the two countries have escalated. Pakistan has warned that its forces are fully prepared to respond to any act of aggression, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly granted his military "operational freedom."

Read: Indian govt blocks Pakistani entertainment channels on YouTube

In a letter addressed to PBA Secretary General Shakeel Masood, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar lauded the association’s decision.

“This initiative reflects national unity and demonstrates the PBA’s commitment to the core values of patriotism, especially during these testing times,” he wrote.

The minister further stated, “I deeply appreciate this independent initiative by the PBA, which upholds the dignity and sovereignty of the nation.”

The ban on Indian content comes just a day after India blocked the social media accounts of several Pakistani entertainment channels, along with the official accounts of prominent celebrities including Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Ali Zafar, and others.