The movie ‘Maalik’ made the news a few days ago when it was banned from being premiered across Pakistan. According to a notification on Wednesday, the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and National Heritage banned the movie from being displayed in any cinema.
Like many other Movies #Maalik was another “Not so Important Stuff” For Me,
But Thanks to Stupidity of Govt. It has became “A Must Watch”
— Amna (@AmnaSuleiman) April 28, 2016
The release of the movie coincided with the Panama Leaks. The movie, which showcases the corrupt leadership of Pakistan, was banned because it could result in nationwide protests. It is said that the movie passed the censor board’s approval (the body which deals with this sort of stuff), however, the government found the subject matter too volatile, resulting in the ban.
Does This Set a Bad Precedent?
The next question is, whether the government will enforce more bans on any other media which is used to promote criticism against corrupt government officials or politicians. Mobile network suspension is pretty common in this sort of a situation and a ban on Facebook, YouTube or even the internet may not be off the cards.
The government is in a state of emergency, trying its level best to deal with one of the biggest controversies in Pakistan’s history. Many people, mostly in favour of the movie took to the social media to have their say on the matter. Thousands of tweets and status updates have been made in against the ban with tags like #BanMaalik and #BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik. Both of these trends became the top twitter trends in Pakistan with thousands of tweets under their belt.
We’ve gone through a lot of tweets and Facebook updates to gather some of the top ones, which display the public’s reaction to the ban and present the whole picture of the scene of events that have taken place since then. From the reactions, it is clearly visible that the public doesn’t support bans and wants the choice to be with them.
Banning Maalik the movie will not blind people to the pervasive corruption in the ruling elite. The ban is undemocratic & irrational.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 29, 2016
Afraid of a FILM? What should we assume? #BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik
— Areeba Bilal (@IAreebaBilal) April 29, 2016
#BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik government are scared of MAALIK film because it’s shows the reality of corrupt govt. pic.twitter.com/edL61Eerlg
— Hameed Ullah Shaheen (@iHUSB) April 29, 2016
Free media for Indian movies to promote hate agnst Pakistan banned the local movie #BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik pic.twitter.com/8QnF46oFM5
— samay ! (@shaukeen_Jatt) April 29, 2016
Putting ban on movie #MaalikTheMovie shows democracy in #Pakistan is worst than martial law #maalikban
— umar iqbal (@umariqbal1984) April 29, 2016
#BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik pic.twitter.com/6Fhs4FbUvu
— Murtaza Ali (@murtaza_alii) April 29, 2016
Hum ney kya kya Ban kiya h A MUST WATCH VEDIO //youtu.be/v8L_otsdiYA via @YouTube #BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik
— Danialsaeed (@danialsaeed7) April 29, 2016
Kuch sharam bas #BanPanamaDefaultersNotMaalik pic.twitter.com/W31zhuLiDe
— Emran (@Emmi_Rajper) April 29, 2016
Even the arrest of Iqrar-ul-Hasan was compared with this.
First #Maalik has been banned for exposing sindh govt and now it’s @iqrarulhassan . pic.twitter.com/MpbWrxZEHY
— Dr. Nabeel Alvi (@RphNabeel) April 29, 2016
This is not Democracy this is Dewmocracy.
#Chay Democracy !! Shame Shame …..
I am amazed at the level of educated “jahalat” our broadband generation has acquired. Firstly to the admin : the movie is NOT about corruption. It was originally about “war on terror” but now that people have found an anti-politicians taste in it so they are crying foul.
FYI, the movie is not a showcase of corruption. It is a showcase of hate and bias against an ethnicity (Sindhis), and its an incitement to violence by portraying a guy as hero who takes law into his hand and kills a person like mumtaz qadri did. And thirdly the movie is an insult to the martys of police who are at the forefront of war on terror and have sacrified their lives. In whole movie they have shown police as corrupt and doing nothing in war on terror while the Holy cow has been shown doing all the work.
Furthermore , the movie is a propaganda against democracy and clearly incites Pak Army to takeover the country and “fix” it .
@admin , kindly watch the film and bother to present an un-bias point of view.
ایسا show کیا جارہا ہے جیسے یہ آزادی اظہار کی بات ہے. جب فلم MAALIK بنی تو بتایا گیا کہ یہ War on Terror پر ہے. اب جب اصل بات expose ہوگئ ہے تو بتایا جارہا ہے کہ یہ corruption پر ہے. جناب زرہ یہ تو بتائے گا کہ ایک وفاقی ادارے کو کب یہ اختیار مل گیا کہ وہ ایک دوسرے ادرے پولیس کے خلاف اور سیاسی فلمیں بنایں ؟
نورے کا چمچہ جسے نورے نے کھوتے کے گوشت کھلا کے اپنا نوکر رکھا ہوا ہے پٹواری کی اولاد کبھی دماغ بھی استعمال کر لیا کرو۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔
Lol. Do you know the difference between “patwari” and “Iron smith”? Or have you lost sanity like your master “khan saanp”?
Press release by Censor board of Pakistan :
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[ The families of the shaheed police officials from across the country also complained after watching the movie that the police as a whole is shown as a crippled, contemptuous,unjust and corrupt force. The police force is presented in the movie as always working in the interest of the politicians disregarding its duties. The film has given the impression that the entire police force of the country is incapable and corrupt thus draining down the sacrifices made by the police as a front defence line in the war against terrorism ]
tu kia asa nhi hai
a movie filled with Plot-holes & lack of script at most. was getting horrid reviews. Now with the Ban it’s like an Oscar Nomination material in Purestani Land… #ROFLLMAOLOLCopter @ Govt… :D
aik Film ne baday badon ki hawa nikaal di, chehray se MAZEED naqaad ulat diye keh khud hi CHOR is ko ban kerne k liye nikal paday… BayGhairat log aisay hi to hotay hein ( yel lafz bhi bohot halka lagta hai in naam nihaad hukumrano k liye )
make things controversial (masala) and these people will flock it. What a disgrace this nation is. making a fool out of em is super easy.