As a citizen of this country, I have a few concerns.
Where exactly is democracy and our right to the freedom of speech?
Pemra is abusing its power here. They are banning content on the internet based on what they find inappropriate. However, this content may not actually be inappropriate but educational. Additionally, they can’t install filters to block ‘immoral’ and ‘blasphemous’ content but they are quick to filter out websites describing the plight of the Shia, Ahmadis and Baloch communities – why?
The state of our judicial system is laughable; convicted terrorists roam about free while the price of samosas and content on the internet is deliberated upon.
What is wrong with a contraception advertisement? Why is sex education or awareness considered taboo?
I find it hard to comprehend why there hasn’t been a massive outrage against websites being banned. This leads me to believe that a majority of the people do, in fact, agree with such bans and the insignificant amount (including myself) of internet users are restricted to using micro blogging websites like Facebook and Twitter.
In this day and age, where sex dominates major themes of popular soap operas and songs, why and how is talking about sex vulgar or wrong? It is not enough for us to just tell our children that they were not, in fact, brought into this world by storks. Some form of explanation is required and the implications of this ‘human activity’ have to be clarified.
Unfortunately, even the most elite schools in our country do not provide sex education to their students. So in essence, being a part of the global society and being exposed to social media and mass media talking about sex, the religious aspect of sex, the consequences and diseases that may accompany it, wouldn’t it benefit us if our children received some form of guidance to douse their curiosity? It is because of the absence of such measures that curiosity wins the battle and we see boys resort to porn and girls huddle up in small ‘all girls get-togethers’ as they try to pitch in their two cents acquired from the internet or biology books to put the pieces together and solve the puzzle.
Discussing the concept of sexual intercourse is the same as explaining the phenomenon of the menstruation cycle to girls of age. Both are inevitable and very ‘natural’.
What is interesting to note here is, that even the most educated or ‘modern’ families believe that talking about sex is vulgar or inappropriate. Some families even believe it is highly ‘un-lady like’. While I agree that having illegitimate sex carries social and religious restraints, however, talking about it in a serious environment, mentioning the religious and medical do’s and don’ts will only benefit us in the long run.
Having completed 14 years of education in Karachi, from a well reputed school, I cannot recall even one lecture given to us about sex or its consequences. Why? I don’t know. We had extra-curricular activities like aerobics etc and even a doctor who once enlightened us about the menstrual cycle but the topic of sex was never broached. The doctor went as far as explain to us the advantages of aerobics and how it helps during pregnancy but the questions of how that child appears in our body to begin with was conveniently ignored. Therefore, it is not because our schools lack the resources, it is simply because they think sex education is not as important of a module as aerobics!
Conclusively, how Pemra decided to ban the contraception ad is beyond me. A country with a swelling population, dying due to limited resources and appalling maternal facilities decides to ban a contraception ad in the month of Ramazan is itself a ‘vulgar’ act.
To impose a particular organisation’s description and definition of modesty on approximately 180 million people who could definitely make use of any information with regards to family planning is mind boggling. We often forget, vulgarity and modesty are relative concepts and what might be modest for one might not be modest for another. And every contraceptive advertisement has been set within the bounds of our society’s norms – the message, clothes and language – all have been taken into account appropriately.
So, should we do something about this or sit and wait for our population to increase? Do we expect Green Star to reach every inaccessible village? If we do – we need a reality check!
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Read more by Maheen here or follow her on Twitter @MaheenIshaikh
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.
What Pakistan needs is more condom use,not less.Our population is increasing at a frightening pace which is placing a huge strain on our resources.It’s sad to see the govt. surrendering before the bullying of the religious fascists.
Condom use needs to be promoted not restricted.There must be more use of contraceptives as its use prevents spread of diseases.There need to be more commercials for condoms on tv,not less.
“Where exactly is democracy and our right to the freedom of speech?”
If you sincerely think about it, freedom of speech is not curtailed by democracy. Freedom of speech if curtailed by Islam.
Anything that says, submit to me, no questions, is suppression of a lot of your freedom. In fact it starts with the curtailing of the freedom to think.
(Repeat) ban pemra. Its a waste of taxpayers money to keep a bunch of fascists happy. Let us be free of hate and bigotry. Give the money to the security forces to rid us of the real disease, taliban. Say no to crazies, yes to josh!!
Those who are saying that this ad was our only hope to control population, I think they haven’t seen the ad actually. There wasn’t a single word about birth control.. Just “josh condom” keeping Mathira happier than normal wives.
Also, since when strawberry flavor started helping in birth control?
there is a difference between education and vulgarity. this advertisement is totally vulgar. in past also there were many advertisements for family planning which were on aired and were accepted by all but they were not vulgar. this kind of advertisement in the month of ramazan and i also remember last year also same thing happened some add was on aired in ramazan with a song something. why is it these things come only in ramazan. plus for all those liberals, if you want to see anything on your television, ask your cable provider to switch on those channels which provide complete nudity. kindly dont try to super-impose your liberal views to all the pakistani population and keep the freedom of speech to your self. it is not freedom of speech. it is imposing your own thoughts on others.
The awareness is not taboo. Remember there used to Green Star ads, no one objected on that because they were subtle and not so open. Even with condoms, they used to name them either Saathi or Hamdard, again subtle but giving message and the purpose of commercial was served.
Here in the josh condoms ad. They had gone overboard. First they hired a notorious model for the ad and secondly they used vulgar words. And the way the commercial was made, it was clear that they didn’t mean to avoid birth control. What flavour condoms have to do with birth control?
@Faraz Talat:
Brilliant comment.
@Atif Salahuddin:
nice summary…well put…!!!
Majority of the people in Pakistan support this ban from PEMRA, so lets just agree with the majority and chill people. btw I support PEMRA because it has shown its powers finally.
The issue here is not for or against population control or contraceptives, the issue is presentation of a product. And as is being said, the add is vulgur and shameless and should not be brought into lounges of millions of decent and modest people where sisters, dughters and mothers sit along with sons, brothers and fathers. There are decent and better ways of spreading a message if at all. Even in west many condom adds have been banned due to immoral presentation. The message of population control have been passed on in decent ways in past like ‘sabz sitara’ commercial and documentries and dramas like ‘janjal pura’ and no significant outrage was reported against those.
These b0olgs are void of any sensible argument and are just tit for tat type of reaction and have achived their own purpose i.e. getting published and commented.
May be author is against family planning.
@SMA: your comment is spot on!!!
AND it had a strawberry flavored one too 😀
Nobody is against contraception ads being aired on television. But they should be educational, not vulgar. This ad was rightly banned. Refer to Peer’s blog.
@Yasir:
Okay, so now you are a spokesperson for PEMRA. Yeah IT IS VERY OBVIOUS that how much “national unity” is at threat by an ad on condoms in which “some controversial people” appeared. Hooooo, one can sense “national unity” in real danger.
And if the writer has taken the issue in a “wrong way”, then go ahead and suggest your version of the “right way”. You seem no different than others, trying so hard to be politically correct. And frankly, how can you judge if someone is a “controversial personality”? I see it’s simply the chattering mind of a person that is controversial. I don’t think anyone has any right to judge someone else.
Similarly, whatever the writer has written here is plainly comprehensible as well.
And lastly, your conclusion is that the article is a result of “inexperience and lack of background knowledge”. But wait, where’s your version of the “right way”?
Apart from the discussion whether these types of commercials should see a ban in Pakistan or not, the problem with this particular ad is the way it was made. The message should be that using such a stuff provides one with a protection from STDs rather showing that it is a means for extra pleasure that leads to the satisfaction hence good relations with your partner. This is shear stupidity and one can expect it if Mathira is there.
I had heard that Yoga destroys human mind. Here is our confirmation.
@Water Bottle:
Dude why bring religion in a social discussion. On a contrary note women should be educated about harmful effects of marriage because in our neighborhood they ll get burnt alive if the husband dies. Dont you see the problem of forceful submission. (Sincerely)
Check out the vote results , can you see how many people are with PEMRA on this , this is a lost cause ! its stupid !
Good writeup by the author.
this article is a lost cause..
“Both are inevitable and very ‘natural’”
Inevitable and natural?! What are you talking about? I am 28, haven’t experienced anything even remotely close to this inevitable and natural ‘human activity’! Explains the frustration in the society.
Shocked and sad to see Muslims talking about encouraging the use of condoms knowing that the use of condom is HARAM!
very well written! but mainly the fact which i believe made the ad ban was Mathira her presence just made the entire ad dirty because of her history.
@Shah (Berlin):
First off, on what parameters you are comparing the freedom of speech that prevails in West to that of ours (in the EAST)? I think you have been deluded quite a lot, if they don’t say anything or stay silent then it’s not due to some oppression, but it’s rather the acceptance of their freedom of speech which has matured quite a lot in the past decades.
And I feel quite alien when you said the ad was quite vulgar, that is quite far-fetched from the reality on another level. May be it was “vulgar” in “some” chattering minds, hmm?
All I’m saying let us stop living in delusions. For decades we have plagued our minds with these judgments. Let the ad stay an AD. Let it BE simply.
Another liberal wanting to impose his/her own view on the rest of Pakistan. The argument made by the author is totally rubbish; I was shocked when I saw the add and I myself launched an online complain to Pemra against the advertisement.
Every society has its own social fabric, its own boundaries. What might not seem vulgar to you does seem vulgar to the majority of Pakistan. Anyhow not really bothered about the article but please choose another country for you economic policy making career. We do not need anymore of you guys. Thank you !
This blogger and all the people who have problems with pakistan’s moral values and sense of decency should simply pack up and leave this country. There is no need to have you in this country. At a time when pakistani government and society is fighting agianst ultra right wing insurgency such vulgar and immoral advertisements coming out the mind of a specific ethnic group of karachi ( where this ad industry is centred at the moment) is just fueling the unrest in the society and destroying the balance of different ideologies in the country. The advertisement as well as media industry should be representative of the cultural ethos of the people living in all four provinces of pakistan.
Madam… this particular add is vulgar… its not educational.. I hope you understand the difference. We are a confused nation of self proclaimed enlightened heroes and champions…we are actually lost!
It’s not about banning an advertisement on contraception. It’s about banning vulgar content from the electronic media which should operate with certain moral standards!
There have ads on contraception before to which no one objected but this one was plain cheap.
Condom is the best thing that is ever invented by human
@Water Bottle:
What a Nonsense! Islam means peace and submitting to God / Allah is when you are at peace.
Problem is when pseudo intellectuals pointlessly defame Islam because of either their misunderstanding of Islam or prejudice that’s when you get a society such as in Pakistan.
Freedom of Speech is given in Islam and freedom of speech doesn’t mean that one should cross boundaries. Contraception is not against Islamic teachings but again the pseudo intellectuals or those who claim to be the “thekedars” of Islam definitely will ban such ads!
So stop blaming an innocent religion of Islam
Shame on express tribune for not posting my comments.
After reading this article I found out what a role of a demon is … the thing which immortal , inappropriate and disgusting is to present it in a way that many perplexed people might take it as right.
@Siddiqui:
The contraception rate (CPR) in Pakistan is one of the lowest in Asia (even below that Iraq or Iran and has remained withouth change for the last 10 years.
Therefore, all the “classical” effort to promote birth planning have failled. A new approach is necessary.
@Yasir:
Your counting is wrong too. More than 50% of the comments on this and another forums are in favour of the ad…. just count them and you will see that the “majority” is not as clear as you state,
Where is your democracy………You know…most of people dont want this add on tv…So as per democracy…these adds should not be on tv.