Pakistani TikTok community is angered and devastated after Chinese application TikTok was banned in Pakistan. To many, the platform was their identity and their livelihood. As the reality of the ban set in, many of the biggest stars vented their anger at the move, terming it as yet another blow to creative freedom in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has blocked video-sharing app TikTok, citing “immoral and indecent” content. According to a press release, in view of “complaints” and the “nature of content being consistently posted on TikTok”, PTA issued a “final notice” to the app. TikTok was given “considerable time” to respond and comply with instructions to effectively moderate “unlawful online content”, said PTA.
Guinness World Record holder, Ahsan Qayyum from Pakistan is one of a kind miniature artist who uses the lead of a pencil to carve out various miniatures. The young artist from Gujranwala made the longest chain by a pencil lead consisting of 75 links, breaking record of 58 links previously held by an Indian.
In an Instagram post, Rihanna has apologised to the Muslim community after using a controversial song at her latest Savage X Fenty fashion show. She received a backlash online for using the song Doom by artist Coucou Chloe, which includes a remixed Hadith. Rihanna says the use of the song was “irresponsible” and an “honest, yet careless mistake.”
Netflix is now facing criminal charges for “Cuties,” a show which faced immense backlash for sexualizing children while attempting to highlight issue of racism. A Texas county grand jury indicted the streaming giant for promoting the “lewd” visual material “against the peace and dignity of the state.” The document also states that the film held no serious “literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”
Rihanna has come under fierce criticism after lingerie models at her latest fashion show danced to a song which appeared to remix an Islamic hadith. In the show, Savage X Fenty Volume, models can be seen dancing to a song called “Doom” which remixes audio that includes a Hadith which is about the signs of the Judgment Day and the end of times.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has asked TV channels to review ‘indecent’ adverts and chalk up a strategy to get their advert approved by an internal committee prior to the telecast. The statement by the authority came days after an advert featuring Mehwish Hayat to promote Gala biscuits came under severe criticism for being against the values of the society.
Senior journalist Ansar Abbasi has criticized Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the incumbent government over a TV commercial and demanded of Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action and ban such “vulgar dance” videos on national televisions. Referring to a commercial of a local manufacturing biscuit company (TV commercial), featuring Mehwish Hayat, Ansar called the dance a ‘mujra’.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Imaan Vellani has nabbed the title role of Ms. Marvel as she was recently roped in by the studio, making history as the first-ever Muslim superhero on screens. Taking on the leading role as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, 18-year-old Vellani, fits the part perfectly as well as the ethnic background it portrays.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cyber crime wing has booked singer Meesha Shafi and eight others for launching a smear campaign against singer-actor Ali Zafar. The FIR against the suspects was filed for a non-cognisable offence on order of FIA special court. According to the FIR, the suspects were summoned multiple times to present their defence, failing which granted a cause of criminal proceedings against them.