It’s time we stopped praying for a messiah to save us, and took matters into our own hands
KARACHI: The ban on Mahira Khan’s movie Verna has now been lifted and the movie has been released across the country with no cuts. The reason the ban was imposed in the first place for the movie being a ‘mature’ work of art for its portrayal of a rape survivor, who was raped by an ‘influential’ person. This only goes on to prove the influence of some people in the corridors of power and calling the shots. But while it is hard to stomach the fact that in its third run of democratic leadership Pakistan still struggles with the dominance of power, there is also solace in the fact that together the citizens can make a difference.
The lifting of the ban was only possible after citizens, from politicians to anchorpersons to celebrities and social media enthusiasts, united together to call out the unfair judgment of the Central Board of Film Censors. The pressure from the people forced Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb to intervene in the matter and assure that the movie would not be banned. If the people truly realise the power they hold by uniting together for the betterment of society, Pakistan can be a progressive nation that everyone envisions it to be. It’s time we stopped praying for a messiah to save us, and took matters into our own hands.
Ramsha Jahangir
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2017.
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