ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government is in talks with Netflix and other global streaming companies to expand opportunities for local productions and is separately developing a state-backed digital platform to showcase Pakistani content internationally, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Sunday.
The initiative is part of Islamabad’s Uraan Pakistan economic strategy, which is also identifying creative and cultural industries as potential export sectors. Pakistani television dramas command large audiences across South Asia, the Gulf and diaspora communities but the country has secured few original commissions from major international streaming services.
“Recognizing our massive export potential, the Government of Pakistan is currently in talks with Netflix and other global streaming giants to adjust the regional framework,” Iqbal said in a post on X. “Our goal is clear: secure an equitable share of space and open sustainable partnership avenues for Pakistani creators.”
“In parallel, we aren’t just waiting for a seat at their table— the government is actively working toward developing Pakistan’s very own independent OTT platform to champion our stories globally,” he added, referring to over-the-top services that deliver films and television programs over the Internet.
Iqbal did not disclose the stage of the discussions, what changes Pakistan was seeking from Netflix or other companies or details on the funding, management and launch timeline for the proposed domestic platform.
The minister said major streaming services had been “weaponized by regional politics” and denied Pakistani productions their due space. He did not name a country but his comments appeared to refer to the influence of long-running tensions with neighboring India, the region’s dominant entertainment and streaming market.
India in May 2025 directed streaming and digital platforms operating in the country to remove Pakistan-origin films, series, music, podcasts and other content after a sharp escalation in hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistani actors and productions have also faced repeated restrictions in India during periods of diplomatic tension, despite the popularity of Pakistani dramas among Indian audiences. Indian films and content are also banned on Pakistani TV and in cinemas.
There is no public evidence that Netflix maintains a policy excluding Pakistani productions. Its commissioning and acquisition choices are also shaped by commercial considerations, including audience size, expected returns, production capacity and technical standards.
Pakistani dramas including Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Sadqay Tumhare have previously appeared on Netflix under licensing arrangements, meaning the platform acquired completed productions rather than commissioning them as Netflix originals.
Industry figures have cited Pakistan’s comparatively small paid-streaming market as one obstacle to original commissions.
A Pakistani content distributor told Arab News in 2020 that Netflix had around 100,000 subscribers in the country at the time, although no authoritative current figure is publicly available. Producers have also pointed to limited budgets, gaps in post-production and technical capacity, and a domestic television model built largely around advertising-supported broadcasters and YouTube rather than premium subscription platforms.
