ISLAMABAD (AP) 鈥� Censors are lifting a ban on Pakistan's Oscar entry, 鈥淛oyland," but some scenes would be cut before the movie opens across the country, an aide to the prime minister said Wednesday.
The movie, which features a love story between a married man and a transgender woman, is Pakistan鈥檚 entry for next year鈥檚 Academy Awards and was a prizewinner at this year鈥檚 Cannes Film Festival.
But it has caused controversy in Muslim-majority Pakistan and state censors last week banned its showings at movie theaters, reversing a previous all-clear for release.
Transgender people are considered outcasts by many in Pakistan, despite some progress with a law that protects their rights and a landmark Supreme Court ruling designating them as a third gender.
Salman Sufi, an aide to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, told The Associated Press that the decision to lift the ban was made by a committee that the premier had formed to evaluate the film. The board approved the film with minor cuts, he said.
鈥淭he decision is a simple yet powerful message that the government stands by freedom of speech and safeguards it, and cannot allow mere smear campaigns or disinformation to be used as choking creative freedom,鈥� Sufi said.
He did not elaborate on which scenes would be cut.
鈥淭ransgender people are as much citizens of Pakistan as anyone else,鈥� he said. "We have launched a hotline for their issues as well from the prime minister's office and the prime minister is fully committed to safeguarding their rights."
鈥淛oyland鈥� is scheduled for release in Pakistani cinemas on Friday.
The Associated Press