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SBP just banned subscriptions of Indian content in Pakistan and Twitter isn't happy

SBP just banned subscriptions of Indian content in Pakistan and Twitter isn't happy

"If you want to ban Indian content then go ahead but other VOD platforms must sponsor Pak shows like Churails etc," one user wrote
13 Nov, 2020

With more and more actors, writers, directors and technicians across Pakistan turning to digital/OTT given the lack of local streaming options, the ban on online subscriptions for streaming content from India (such as that from ZEE5) has upset audiences.

In a notification issued by the State Bank of Pakistan, all banks were instructed to stop different modes of payments, including credit cards for subscribing to Indian content, specifically mentioning the ZEE5 video-on-demand service.

Recently, five Pakistani shows had been produced on the aforementioned platform, with Mehreen Jabbar's Ek Jhooti Love Story starring Bilal Abbas and Madiha Imam being the latest addition.

Calling it a 'suppression of artistic freedom', many on social media expressed their distaste over the move, frustrated with the limitations concerning viewership of original content.

Many consider the move to be a loss for Pakistan, alone

While others are straight up annoyed with the banning culture

Some are demanding alternate solutions

While Asim Abbasi is just as heartbroken as us

Not long ago, lauded internationally and shut down in its country of origin, Churails by Asim Abbasi was taken down in Pakistan by the international video-streaming website Zee5, based on its content.

After massive uproar, the video-streaming website released a statement, calling the show their "success story" and revealing that the move was done in compliance with the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority.

Soon enough, it was up and running again.

Comments

M. Emad Nov 13, 2020 02:52pm
Indian TV programmes/ cinemas very popular in Pakistan.
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Fastrack Nov 13, 2020 03:12pm
A great step. Make no mistake.
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Fastrack Nov 13, 2020 03:13pm
Excellent. And stay away.
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Ali Nov 13, 2020 03:15pm
Instead of complaining, they should set up a local streaming service. With a population of 220 million, Pakistan is a huge market for OTT.
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M. Saeed Nov 13, 2020 03:27pm
Good decision. Patriotism comes first.
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thinking Nov 13, 2020 03:29pm
Calm down everyone. There will be a u-turn soon
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akshya Nov 13, 2020 03:44pm
I am for banning all indian content from pakistan, as they are spoiling their culture!
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Hammad A Nov 13, 2020 03:50pm
Good that the low quality "saas bahu" churned out by India has been banned. Pakistanis have anyway switched to the far superior Pakistani and Turkish content.
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Ishrat salim Nov 13, 2020 04:14pm
Very good action.
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Owayse Nov 13, 2020 05:02pm
A very good step by SBP.
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Zeeshan Nov 13, 2020 05:09pm
It's good. Pakistan launching its own OTT and they can air their dramas on that or many channels available. But they want to create and disseminate vulgarity which isn't possible on PEMRA control channels so all the hoopla
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Readdr Nov 13, 2020 05:14pm
I can't believe some people support paying money to a country that is directly and indirectly engaged in war with us.
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hussain Nov 13, 2020 05:59pm
more needs to be done to disassociate from Indian cinema and cultural links, as creating more cultural and social links with Iran, central Asia and Turkey is more important.
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Raja Nov 13, 2020 06:12pm
Indian content- Can’t live with it; Can’t live without it!
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Zaraq Nov 13, 2020 06:43pm
Very good decision. I wonder what is wrong with our people who are complaining. Cant they stop running after India ?
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Ssahroosh délicieux Food Nov 13, 2020 07:08pm
Well done ban all products and media outlets stop supporting Indian culture and economy
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D’Souza Nov 13, 2020 07:17pm
It’s very clear who doesn’t want good relations. Banning content on internet is foolish, you can’t ban anything on the internet.
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well-wisher Nov 13, 2020 07:31pm
Not a good decision to ban content from India because it is available through different mediums. Retaliation may cripple PK Contents. Think!
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Sikander Nov 13, 2020 07:40pm
Good riddance
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Rashid Nov 13, 2020 08:23pm
Great, should have been done long time ago.
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Amer Nov 13, 2020 08:43pm
Good move. Stop funding Indian so their army can kill are civilians.
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Ammar Nov 13, 2020 09:01pm
@Ali I agree it's a huge market though more than half of the population won't be able to afford the subscription service even if a price tier system is introduced.
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Sakaniga Nov 13, 2020 09:10pm
Why watch silly bollywood stuff when its far from reality.. No wonder the rape cases has risen in our country..look at what indians have got into..far from reality and social issues..
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Frank Nov 13, 2020 09:37pm
@M. Emad You've obviously never been to Pakistan.
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Sri1 Nov 13, 2020 09:47pm
@Fastrack "A great step. Make no mistake" There will be alternative solutions like VPN or bundled payment gateways. All par for the course. When creative solutions like relabeling of Indian products happen in Dubai only to be mass imported in Pakistan, this is not even a road block.
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Ali Nov 13, 2020 09:59pm
Respect the people and their struggle for Kashmir. Stop all Indian content and BAN all artists who have worked there for some time to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
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Amin Nov 13, 2020 10:02pm
Good job, they should be Banned - Period
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Rahat Nov 13, 2020 10:05pm
Let 'twitter' be 'upset'! Change must be made where change is due.
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Rafeh Nov 13, 2020 10:29pm
Pakistani industry and intellectual including business needs to invest in their own rather relying on other streamline you will never going to get successful because you will always going to rely on other countries to promote you and if they going to issues with Pakistan they will ban all your content so get moving and invest in your own industry
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Sami khan Nov 13, 2020 11:11pm
@M. Emad may be those sas baho programs may interest indians and bengalis.
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Indoaryan Nov 13, 2020 11:37pm
@M. Saeed In the name of patriotism, throwing your meagre foreign exchange into corrupt bank A/Cs is not a good decision. I have in mind your country buying wheat from Russia while you could save substantial money buying the same from India. Cheap price and hardly any transport expenses. Yes, we have more than enough wheat to export . A business deal no obligations on anyone's part. Perhaps it doesn't make any sense to the Pak. Govt. ?
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Faisal Nov 14, 2020 03:34am
Indian contents should be banned, us Pakistani teenagers are start to copy them, and also wasting lot of time watching something that does not have any substance.
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M bati Nov 14, 2020 03:44am
Brilliant the Indian dramas are Boring Full of nonsense and meaningless just a bing source of spreading hate and breaking familes no moralat the end and there is no end of story can you believe a TV drama last more then 5000 episode
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Madaiyan Nov 14, 2020 03:53am
Kashmir belongs to Pakistan.. can’t people just read this statement again and again? Why do they need other content?
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Pakistani Nov 14, 2020 08:03am
They must have a good reason to do that
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Atif Khan Nov 14, 2020 08:42am
@M. Emad Such intelligent observation.
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Zeeshan Nov 14, 2020 08:58am
It's good descion by SBP
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Jamal Nov 14, 2020 09:02am
There are much better alternatives present. Why don't the people care about the Muslims that are being oppressed by the Indian government? Bollywood actors also support them
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ijaz mir Nov 14, 2020 09:20am
Please understand, you pay by credit. cart to Indians. India uses this money to buy bullets bombs fighter planes to kill Pakistanis and Kashmir's. Some day, the money you provided for your entertainment could kill you one day.. Shame on you.
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Bipul Nov 14, 2020 09:54am
@Fastrack “A great step” - says an overseas Pakistani who is not affected.
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Hassan Nov 14, 2020 10:10am
Totally agree with this decision. Let Twitter cry.
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Bloop Nov 14, 2020 10:39am
That's a very good decision. We should stay away from Indian substandard technologies and shouldn't be their consumers. Rather we should develop our own OTT service with the help of China
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MJQ Nov 14, 2020 11:06am
Excellent move.... Just don't take u turn this time....
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Kabeelakhan Nov 14, 2020 11:19am
@M. Emad what about Bangladesh?
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Kabeelakhan Nov 14, 2020 11:23am
@M. Emad why are you always on a pakistani newspaper comments section.
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Fairguy Nov 14, 2020 11:44am
@Zaraq That's because only few among them can yet run away from Pakistan itself.
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TZaman Nov 14, 2020 11:44am
It doesn't matter at all, as this structure is totally useless. There are hundreds different ways to pay for the subscription and hundred different ways to receive the bandwidth.
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AD Nov 14, 2020 12:18pm
Good ban indian content. The way they treat our artists and talk abt pakistan this should have been done long ago.
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Sky Marshall Nov 14, 2020 01:22pm
Well done SBP........
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vin Nov 14, 2020 01:54pm
@Ssahroosh délicieux Food What about Hindu Numerals system and Binary System?
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Chrís Dăn Nov 14, 2020 03:03pm
@Sakaniga I love art movies made in India. Simply super.
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Chrís Dăn Nov 14, 2020 03:04pm
@Ali do not mix art with politics.
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Zohaib Nov 14, 2020 07:19pm
Nice one..
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Sultan Mahmood Nov 14, 2020 09:48pm
The Pak media should also do the same as the government decree. If you believe?
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Bharat Dave Nov 14, 2020 10:39pm
@Ssahroosh délicieux Food Sure. Do not buy Indian medicine. Do not send your patient to India.
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Proud Nov 15, 2020 01:43am
Good decision.
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Farooqui Nov 15, 2020 04:45am
@Bharat Dave don't sell it to us just like u don't want your artists to collaborate with ours.
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Reality bites Nov 15, 2020 06:12am
We want to play cricket with the enemy but we don't want their VOD platforms. Strange logic.
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Zubair Nov 15, 2020 12:15pm
I have no complaints. Should have done this a long time ago.
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Amjad Nov 15, 2020 01:36pm
@M. Emad How do you know?
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Amjad Nov 15, 2020 01:42pm
@Readdr 100% agree you need look at yourself before blaming others. Nobody should be watching or buying anything Indian.
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S VIRENDRA Nov 16, 2020 06:09pm
I love to listen Atif Aslam,Nusarat fateh Ali. Khan.wasim Akram ,Saeed Anwar are my favourite player.And I am patriot Indian
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Ahsan Ansari Nov 16, 2020 09:25pm
Good, Strike where it hurts.
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