third eye
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2008
- Messages
- 18,519
- Reaction score
- 13
- Country
- Location
Cultural invasion of Pakistan
Indian dramas and films have acquired quite some viewer-ship in the absence of any official resistance or laws prohibiting display of perverse material. In fact government issued licenses to different channels with a view to earning revenue, and in the process showed utter disregard to the core values of our culture.
Similarly, the media invaders were facilitated by some of the private TV channels through the projection of Indian films, Turkish dramas and display of foreign advertisements. A few conscionable elements of civil society resisted but those enjoying political, social and economic clout favored liberal policy of foreign films and dramas. Foreign media create a sense of suspicion amongst our youth who are passing through a formative stage of development and are at the initial phase of understanding their religious beliefs, cultural norms and core values.
The aliens through cartoons and animated caricatures capture Pakistani viewers and inject them with dissenting thought to challenge the teachings and traditions of Islamic culture. Indian films and dramas are openly shown by our cable networks, and Indian commercials are also being aired on our TV channels projecting Indian products and consumer goods. Civil society especially the youth and female audience are likely to develop brand loyalty for the Indian products as well as films and dramas.
It is worth noting that India does not allow telecast of Pakistani dramas and films in India. Turkish dramas (Ishq-e-Mamnoo to Mera Sultan) are also shown on our channels for revenue earning, though these dramas have least cultural proximity to our culture and social values. In order to protect the nation especially the youth, the authorities concerned must take note of cultural invasion against oun values and take steps to reduce our public's vulnerability.
Cartoon films like "Burqa Avenger" need to be analyzed thoroughly before the entire series are shown to Pakistani youth. Though such cartoon films provide entertainment stunts and humorous stuff, yet they carry hidden messages and deep meanings which are against our culture and religious values.
The government should consider banning such programmes, as this ban will not be something unusual. There are many countries which allow their citizens' access to the government-controlled Internet only. It is also pertinent to mention here that India, our neighboring country, is also very strict on its policy of allowing Pakistan channels being broadcasted in India. In August 2009, Indian daily The Asian Age had reported that the Indian government banned Pakistani TV channels in India and it was also planning to establish high-frequency transmitters and towers in the bordering areas to stop transmission of Pakistani programmes.
Indian government decision was taken as a precautionary measure to keep the new generation ignorant about other side of the story from Pakistani media debunking Indian propaganda against Pakistan. However, more disturbing is the fact that there is no dearth of the supporters of Indian channels in Pakistan despite the fact that the Indian media, news or entertainment tend to malign Pakistan and to dominate its culture rather than to entertain the audience. The fact of the matter is that the Indian film industry frequently make anti-Pakistan films in which Pakistan is projected as a villain country. Pakistan-bashing, denigrating Pakistan and burning its flag are not uncommon in Hindi movies. Furthermore, such films are exempted from heavy taxes and win prestigious awards even if they fail at the box office or a total flop in Indian cinema. As far as the music is concerned, it is an undeniable fact that some Indian songs include profane or sacrilegious lyrics.
Apart from Hindi movies, the dramas presented by Indian media unnecessarily highlight Hindu rituals and colourful rites. Is it unintentional or a conscious effort to win a cultural war with Pakistan? Indra Gandhi, a former Indian prime minister had once boasted about India's cultural victory over Pakistan. The tragedy is that the Bollywood gets the projection of its films from Pakistani media itself. Now it is not only limited to cable operators to air Indian films by violating copyright laws but Pakistani cinemas also release Indian movies with the permission of the government. More tragic is the fact that due to the absence of a clear-cut media policy some renowned private TV channels are also following suit. Some have gone so far to present dance competition shows in mimicry of Indian programmes as if dance is a part of our culture. There is also a misconception among the supporters of Indian channels in Pakistan that both the countries share a common culture.
It is pertinent to quote one of the speeches Quaid-e-Azam made in which he shed light on the separate culture of Muslims. He said, "We are a nation with our own distinctive culture and civilization, language and literature, art and architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of values and proportion, legal laws and moral code, customs and calendar, history and tradition, aptitudes and ambitions; in short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life and of life". Another argument which is advanced in favour of Indian media is that art cannot be limited to boundaries. Nobody can deny the fact that entertainment is an integral part of human life, but it is also better to have no amusement at all than to get perverse entertainment from any source. Just like, every country chalks out its defence policy to save the country from outside threat, it is also incumbent on the government to formulate a media policy to check out what is being imported from foreign media in the name of entertainment.
To save the minds of our youth from being polluted by unethical entertainment, placing ban on obscene and vulgar films and dramas from across the border could be the right option. In fact, Pakistani films in first two decades after independence, and its dramas from 1960s to 1980s were considered among the best pieces of art in the world. Moreover, some of Pakistani musicians have earned laurels and world-wide recognition. Having all said, there is need to formulate a policy to promote our culture, help Cinema and make this industry lucrative so that Pakistani talent could divert their energies to serve their own audience instead of bidding farewell to this country for performing at other lands. Once Pakistani artists and audience are satisfied with local means of entertainment, we probably don't need to go for ban on the channels of our neighboring country.
Indian dramas and films have acquired quite some viewer-ship in the absence of any official resistance or laws prohibiting display of perverse material. In fact government issued licenses to different channels with a view to earning revenue, and in the process showed utter disregard to the core values of our culture.
Similarly, the media invaders were facilitated by some of the private TV channels through the projection of Indian films, Turkish dramas and display of foreign advertisements. A few conscionable elements of civil society resisted but those enjoying political, social and economic clout favored liberal policy of foreign films and dramas. Foreign media create a sense of suspicion amongst our youth who are passing through a formative stage of development and are at the initial phase of understanding their religious beliefs, cultural norms and core values.
The aliens through cartoons and animated caricatures capture Pakistani viewers and inject them with dissenting thought to challenge the teachings and traditions of Islamic culture. Indian films and dramas are openly shown by our cable networks, and Indian commercials are also being aired on our TV channels projecting Indian products and consumer goods. Civil society especially the youth and female audience are likely to develop brand loyalty for the Indian products as well as films and dramas.
It is worth noting that India does not allow telecast of Pakistani dramas and films in India. Turkish dramas (Ishq-e-Mamnoo to Mera Sultan) are also shown on our channels for revenue earning, though these dramas have least cultural proximity to our culture and social values. In order to protect the nation especially the youth, the authorities concerned must take note of cultural invasion against oun values and take steps to reduce our public's vulnerability.
Cartoon films like "Burqa Avenger" need to be analyzed thoroughly before the entire series are shown to Pakistani youth. Though such cartoon films provide entertainment stunts and humorous stuff, yet they carry hidden messages and deep meanings which are against our culture and religious values.
The government should consider banning such programmes, as this ban will not be something unusual. There are many countries which allow their citizens' access to the government-controlled Internet only. It is also pertinent to mention here that India, our neighboring country, is also very strict on its policy of allowing Pakistan channels being broadcasted in India. In August 2009, Indian daily The Asian Age had reported that the Indian government banned Pakistani TV channels in India and it was also planning to establish high-frequency transmitters and towers in the bordering areas to stop transmission of Pakistani programmes.
Indian government decision was taken as a precautionary measure to keep the new generation ignorant about other side of the story from Pakistani media debunking Indian propaganda against Pakistan. However, more disturbing is the fact that there is no dearth of the supporters of Indian channels in Pakistan despite the fact that the Indian media, news or entertainment tend to malign Pakistan and to dominate its culture rather than to entertain the audience. The fact of the matter is that the Indian film industry frequently make anti-Pakistan films in which Pakistan is projected as a villain country. Pakistan-bashing, denigrating Pakistan and burning its flag are not uncommon in Hindi movies. Furthermore, such films are exempted from heavy taxes and win prestigious awards even if they fail at the box office or a total flop in Indian cinema. As far as the music is concerned, it is an undeniable fact that some Indian songs include profane or sacrilegious lyrics.
Apart from Hindi movies, the dramas presented by Indian media unnecessarily highlight Hindu rituals and colourful rites. Is it unintentional or a conscious effort to win a cultural war with Pakistan? Indra Gandhi, a former Indian prime minister had once boasted about India's cultural victory over Pakistan. The tragedy is that the Bollywood gets the projection of its films from Pakistani media itself. Now it is not only limited to cable operators to air Indian films by violating copyright laws but Pakistani cinemas also release Indian movies with the permission of the government. More tragic is the fact that due to the absence of a clear-cut media policy some renowned private TV channels are also following suit. Some have gone so far to present dance competition shows in mimicry of Indian programmes as if dance is a part of our culture. There is also a misconception among the supporters of Indian channels in Pakistan that both the countries share a common culture.
It is pertinent to quote one of the speeches Quaid-e-Azam made in which he shed light on the separate culture of Muslims. He said, "We are a nation with our own distinctive culture and civilization, language and literature, art and architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of values and proportion, legal laws and moral code, customs and calendar, history and tradition, aptitudes and ambitions; in short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life and of life". Another argument which is advanced in favour of Indian media is that art cannot be limited to boundaries. Nobody can deny the fact that entertainment is an integral part of human life, but it is also better to have no amusement at all than to get perverse entertainment from any source. Just like, every country chalks out its defence policy to save the country from outside threat, it is also incumbent on the government to formulate a media policy to check out what is being imported from foreign media in the name of entertainment.
To save the minds of our youth from being polluted by unethical entertainment, placing ban on obscene and vulgar films and dramas from across the border could be the right option. In fact, Pakistani films in first two decades after independence, and its dramas from 1960s to 1980s were considered among the best pieces of art in the world. Moreover, some of Pakistani musicians have earned laurels and world-wide recognition. Having all said, there is need to formulate a policy to promote our culture, help Cinema and make this industry lucrative so that Pakistani talent could divert their energies to serve their own audience instead of bidding farewell to this country for performing at other lands. Once Pakistani artists and audience are satisfied with local means of entertainment, we probably don't need to go for ban on the channels of our neighboring country.
