Pak authorities seek advice of Islamic religious body on release of controversial movie

Pakistan authorities on Wednesday sought the advice of an Islamic religious body to decide on the release of a film, based on the life of a Muslim cleric, which they said has the potential to create "unrest" in the country.

Directed by renowned Pakistani film-maker and actor Sarmad Khoosat, the movie 'Zindagi Tamasha' tells the story of the trials and turbulence of a modest religious scholar.

Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, tweeted that the government has "decided to approach the Council of Islamic Ideology on the movie".

However, it was not clear how long the Council would take before deciding on the fate of the film.

The film was initially cleared for release by the central and provincial censor boards, but threats from radical Islamist parties led by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to launch countrywide protests forced the authorities to rethink on its exhibition.

The TLP had threatened to launch protests and sit-ins outside cinema houses where the film was to be released this week.

On Tuesday, both the Punjab and the Sindh provincial censor boards stopped the release of the movie. The Central Board of Film Censors later also notified distributors not to release the controversial movie until it is reviewed again by the provincial censor boards.

"If the film is released for public exhibition, it may create unrest within the religious segment of the society and may deteriorate and be detrimental to the peaceful circumstances in the country," said a notification of the Sindh Board of Film Censors.

The Board advised all cinema exhibitors and distributors to avoid the movie's exhibition till further notice.

The TLP called off their protests after the government stopped the movie's screening.

Meanwhile, film director Khoosat filed a petition in a Civil Court in Lahore to allow its screening.

He said the film has no objectionable content and it highlights the soft image of Pakistan.

Last week, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi sentenced brother and nephew of TLP chief Khadim Rizvi along with 84 others to 55-year prison terms each for taking part in protests in 2018 over the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman in a controversial blasphemy case.

The convicts had attacked security personnel and torched a police station.

It was feared that the group might use the movie to create law and order unrest in the country.