ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani film that won critical acclaim at a major international festival this year will no longer be screened in local cinemas after the government revoked its certification in the wake of an inquiry which was launched after it received “written complaints” from people.
Joyland, which celebrates “transgender culture” in Pakistan and tells the story of a family torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore, won the Cannes “Queer Palm” prize for best feminist-themed movie as well as the Jury Prize in the “Un Certain Regard” competition, a segment focusing on young, innovative cinema talent.
The first-ever Pakistani competitive entry to the Cannes Film Festival left the audiences slack-jawed and admiring, and got a nearly 10-minute-long standing ovation from the opening night’s crowd.
The Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) in Pakistan issued the film a certificate in August, though the information ministry said the decision had led to complaints about “highly objectionable material” which did not “conform with the social values” of the country.
In a notification issued on Friday, the ministry mentioned “written complaints” that said the film was “clearly repugnant to the norms of ‘decency and morality’ as laid down in Section 9 of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979.”
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 9(2) (a) of the said Ordinance and after conducting a comprehensive inquiry,” it continued, “the Federal Government declares the feature film titled ‘JOYLAND’ as an uncertified film for the whole of Pakistan in the cinema which fall under the jurisdiction of CBFC with immediate effect.”
It may be recalled that Catherine Corsini, French director and the “Queer Palm” jury head, had described Joyland as a “very powerful film” with “strong characters who are both complex and real” after the Cannes glory.
The director of the film, Saim Sadiq, said earlier this year he was “most excited” that his production would be watched by people in his own country.
“There is too much relatability in this film for Pakistanis more than anywhere else in the world,” he told Arab News in June. “If an audience from France, sitting at Cannes, can respond like that, I think people here hopefully should respond better because there is far more they can recognize in there.”
Joyland, which won big at Cannes, blocked from Pakistan release by censors
https://arab.news/brb39
Joyland, which won big at Cannes, blocked from Pakistan release by censors
- The first Pakistani competitive entry to the Cannes Film Festival, Joyland received a nearly 10-minute standing ovation
- Pakistan’s information ministry says it received ‘written complaints’ that the film contained ‘highly objectionable material’
Pakistan says repaid over $13.06 billion domestic debt early in last 14 months
- Finance adviser says repayment shows “decisive shift” toward fiscal discipline, responsible economic management
- Says Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over $286.6 billion in June 2025 to $284.7 billion in November 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan has repaid Rs3,650 billion [$13.06 billion] in domestic debt before time during the last 14 months, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Thursday, adding that the achievement reflected a shift in the country’s approach toward fiscal discipline.
Schehzad said Pakistan has been repaying its debt before maturity, owed to the market as well as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), since December 2024. He said the government had repaid the central bank Rs300 billion [$1.08 billion] in its latest repayment on Thursday.
“This landmark achievement reflects a decisive shift toward fiscal discipline, credibility, and responsible economic management,” Schehzad wrote on social media platform X.
Giving a breakdown of what he said was Pakistan’s “early debt retirement journey,” the finance official said Pakistan retired Rs1,000 billion [$3.576 billion] in December 2024, Rs500 billion [$1.78 billion] in June 2025, Rs1,160 billion [$4.150 billion] in August 2025, Rs200 billion [$715 million] in October 2025, Rs494 billion [$1.76 billion] in December 2025 and $1.08 billion in January 2026.
He said with the latest debt repaid today, the July to January period of fiscal year 2026 alone recorded Rs2,150 billion [$7.69 billion] in early retirement, which was 44 percent higher than the debt retired in FY25.
He said of the total early repayments, the government has repaid 65 percent of the central bank’s debt, 30 percent of the treasury bills debt and five percent of the Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) debt.
The official said Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over Rs 80.5 trillion [$286.6 billion] in June 2025 to Rs80 trillion [$284.7 billion] in November 2025.
“Crucially, Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio, around 74 percent in FY22, has declined to around 70 percent, reflecting a broader strengthening of fiscal fundamentals alongside disciplined debt management,” Schehzad wrote.
Pakistan’s government has said the country’s fragile economy is on an upward trajectory. The South Asian country has been trying to navigate a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
