Photo: Film Affinity

Pakistan’s Oscar submission movie Joyland was recently cleared by CBFC- Censor Board of Federal Certification. However, in a new turn of events, the movie has been banned by Punjab Censor Board. The movie has been a hot topic of discussion amongst the industry experts and cinema goers after several objections on the content have been raised.

The Ministry of Information and Culture Punjab has directed Sarmad Sultan Khoosat not to release the movie.

A representative of the Sindh Censor Board has told The Express Tribune that the film will be released in the province after omitting the objectionable scenes. The source has further added that the board will release a certificate to formally give a go-ahead for the release.

As of now, the film posters along with a release date are already up on the Nueplex website

Earlier, Salman Sufi – Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reform has confirmed that Joyland is appropriate for screening in Pakistan

He said, “The film Joyland has been cleared for release by the Censor board review committee formed at the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right and should be nourished within ambits of the law.”

Sufi further added, “The decision is a simple yet powerful message that the government stands by freedom of speech and safeguards it and cannot allow mere smear campaigns or disinformation to be used as choking creative freedom.”

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