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
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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’s deputy PM says country will not send forces to Gaza to disarm Hamas
- Ishaq Dar says Pakistan open to peacekeeping but Gaza’s internal security is Palestinian responsibility
- Pakistan’s top religious clerics from different schools have warned against sending forces to Palestine
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday Pakistan was willing to contribute to an international peacekeeping force in Gaza, though it would not deploy troops to disarm or de-weaponize Hamas.
The statement follows media reports saying Washington views Pakistan as a potentially significant contributor given its battle-hardened military and wants it to be part of International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is part of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point framework for a Gaza peace plan.
The plan announced by Trump at the White House on September 29 was formally adopted at the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in October. Co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the summit brought together leaders from 27 countries to sign the “Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity.”
Deployment of troops from Muslim-majority countries during a transitional stabilization phase is a key part of the plan before the war-ravaged Palestinian territory moves toward reconstruction and a longer-term political settlement.
“If they say that we should go and start fighting, disarm Hamas, de-weaponize them, and go and destroy the tunnels that Hamas has built until now, that is not our job,” Dar, who is also the country’s foreign minister, told reporters during a year-end briefing in Islamabad.
He emphasized there was clarity between Pakistan’s civil and military leadership over the matter.
“We have a very complete understanding on this matter that we cannot do that kind of work,” he added.
The deputy prime minister said Pakistan had been using the term “peacekeeping” and had never used the phrase “peace enforcement” while discussing the force.
“I have been very clear: Pakistan will be happy to join if the mandate is not peace enforcement and disarming and de-weaponizing Hamas.”
The government’s stance comes amid growing domestic pressure over the issue.
On Monday, a group of Pakistan’s top religious leaders, chaired by prominent scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, warned the government against yielding to what they described as international pressure to send forces to Gaza.
In a joint statement from Karachi, the clerics — representing Deobandi, Barelvi, Ahl-e-Hadees and Shia schools of thought — said that Washington wanted Muslim countries to send their forces to Gaza to disarm Hamas.
“Several Muslim governments have already refused this, and pressure is being increased on Pakistan,” it added.
Addressing such concerns, Dar said Pakistan would not land its forces in Palestine to “fight Muslims.”
Israel has repeatedly called for the disarmament of Hamas as a precondition for any long-term settlement, and the United Nations Security Council has also endorsed the ISF framework in November.
However, Dar maintained during the media briefing the internal security of Gaza was the Palestinian responsibility.
“The Palestinian Authority, their government, it is their job, it is the job of their law enforcement agency,” he said
The deputy prime minister also highlighted Pakistan’s involvement in the “Arab Islamic Group of Eight,” including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkiye and Indonesia, which has been coordinating on the crisis.
He said the efforts of these countries had brought some peace to Palestine and reduced bloodshed.
“Our declared policy is that there should be an independent two-state solution,” he continued while calling for pre-1967 borders.
