NEW DELHI, June 1: Indian and Pakistani officials started talks on Thursday on strengthening cultural links, with New Delhi expected to push Islamabad to end a ban on Indian films and television channels, officials and a report said.

The Indian delegation to the two-day talks in New Delhi is led by Culture Secretary Badal Das while his counterpart Jalil Abbas is heading the Pakistani team, an Indian official said.

During the talks, India will be pressing Pakistan to allow the telecast of popular Indian films and the downlinking of Indian satellite television channels, the Press Trust of India said.

The television ban was imposed by Islamabad in 2002 after the two countries came close to war.—AFP