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Popular Pakistani comedian Umer Sharif has blamed "a few women from India" for the plunging necklines and skimpy outfits favoured by models and actors in this country. "I think a few women from India are responsible for the change in fashion trends in our country. And it is not a good one," Sharif said in an interview to a Urdu daily. He was apparently referring to the clothes worn by women in Indian TV soap operas and films that are very popular in Pakistan. Sleeveless dresses and low necklines were the order of the day at the Lux style awards, Pakistan's biggest entertainment awards ceremony held in Karachi last weekend. The media highlighted the change in fashion at the ceremony attended by top models, film and TV personalities and music stars. Sharif, who has a large fan following on both sides of the border, said cable television networks which aired Indian soap operas despite a government ban on Indian channels, had brought people of the two countries closer. "They have also allowed people to see each other's religion closely and the fashions prevalent there," he said. Indian TV dramas are followed closely in Pakistan and the dresses and jewellery sported by actresses are copied in Pakistan. "Fashion is a good thing but to a certain extent. Fashion should be such that it does not look vulgar and bad to the eyes. We must keep in touch with our own culture and values," Sharif said. Pakistani channels have had a tough time competing for viewership during prime time, when Indian channels run new episodes of their soaps. Imran Aslam, head of Pakistan's most successful private channel Geo, admitted it was tough competing for time and sponsorship with Indian channels. "But now I think the trend is changing a bit as more and more channels are producing programmes which are closer to the real life problems faced by our people," said Aslam, a well-known writer. Though the Pakistan government has banned Indian channels, private cable operators beat the ban by running the dramas on their own channels with different names and blocking out the names of Indian channels like Sony, Zee TV, Star Plus and Sahara One. These Pakistani channels say they cannot survive without beaming Indian programmes as viewers call in to complain if they are not shown and cancel their subscriptions.
Article Source: http://www.share.onlypunjab.com
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