Joyland, first Pakistani film selected in Cannes, receives standing ovation at premiere
Joyland, first Pakistani film selected in Cannes, receives standing ovation at premiere/node/2088586/pakistan
Joyland, first Pakistani film selected in Cannes, receives standing ovation at premiere
Pakistani movie Joyland crew arrives for the screening of the film "Joyland" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 22, 2022. (AFP)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Saim Sadiq’s feature debut, “Joyland,” the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes, received a standing ovation after it premiered in the festival’s Un Certain Regard strand.
The film celebrates ‘transgenedr culture’ in Pakistan and tells the story of a family torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore.
Videos widely shared on social media showed the film getting a nearly 10-minute-long standing ovation.
“Standing ovation for ‘Joyland,’” actress and screenwriter Rose Harlean said.
“Such a moment of pride to see #Joyland receive a standing ovation at Cannes, and the immense praise its received,” actor Osman Khalid Butt posted.
Such a moment of pride to see #Joyland receive a standing ovation at Cannes, and the immense praise its received.
The doors this will open, the strength this will give to the new wave of Pakistani cinema. Just - wow.
Congratulations to the entire team.
Can't to watch.
A review in Variety described the film as the story of a patriarchal family that yearns for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
Sadiq drew inspiration from his own family and a theater close to his home in Lahore.
“I came from a very morally upright, middle-class conservative family, and to find out that this other world exists, literally like a 10-minute drive from my house, that I never knew of. It’s so different, the world of the theater, where sexuality is not such a taboo, where women can get on stage and be in such positions of power,” the filmmaker told Variety.
“It’s the same people who are probably sitting at a family dinner in my house, who probably are later going in and watching those shows sometimes, and then pretending that they’re not the same person existing in both worlds. For me, it became an interesting way of examining myself, my family and the world around me with a particular focus on gender and intimacy,” Sadiq added.
Pakistan has one of the most progressive transgender cultures in the world. In 2018, Pakistan passed a landmark transgender rights bill that provides the country’s trans citizens with fundamental rights including prohibiting discrimination and harassment against them educationally and socially, allowing them to obtain driving licenses and passports and to change their gender in the national database at their own discretion.
“They were always very much part of the world that we lived in. They brought a certain sense of color and flamboyance and an owning up of desire in a certain way,” Sadiq said.
The filmmaker said that the progress of Pakistan’s transgender community had been so swift that he had to pause writing the script because some narratives about them weren’t accurate anymore.
“From the time they were struggling and they had all these superstitions around them to now when they are actresses, doctors and news anchors, it’s a big, big shift that I’ve been fortunate enough to see in my life,” Sadiq said.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s defense minister has described the country’s governance as a “hybrid model” in which military and civilian leaders share power — an open secret in political circles but a rare public admission by a serving official that has taken on added significance amid the army chief’s solo visit to the United States and an unprecedented meeting with President Donald Trump.
Officials have presented Field Marshal Asim Munir’s trip as an effort to bolster security ties with Washington, particularly in light of last month’s military standoff with India and escalating hostilities in the Middle East. But the army chief’s meeting with Trump — without Pakistan’s prime minister or foreign minister present — has also drawn renewed attention to how much Islamabad relies on its army to handle high-stakes foreign relations, economic ties and sensitive regional issues.
The chief’s visit comes on the heels of the most serious clash in years between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India in which they exchanged drone, missile and artillery fire until a ceasefire brokered by Washington on May 10 brought an end to hostilities. Pakistan has declared victory in the confrontation, saying it downed six Indian fighter jets and struck military facilities. Munir’s leadership during the crisis has won him a rare promotion to field marshal and broad public support, reinforcing the military’s standing as one of the country’s most influential institutions despite past criticism of its outsized role in politics.
In an interview this week conducted as the army chief visited the United States for talks with Trump, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledged that the military’s prestige had “skyrocketed” after the conflict with India, calling it a “blessing in disguise,” but rejected that this would erode democratic authority or give the army unchecked control.
“No, it doesn’t worry me,” he told Arab News when asked if Pakistan’s history of direct and indirect military rule made him uneasy about the army’s stronger image.
“This is a hybrid model. It’s not an ideal democratic government … So, this arrangement, the hybrid arrangement, I think [it] is doing wonders,” Asif said, adding that the system was a practical necessity until Pakistan was “out of the woods as far as economic and governance problems are concerned.”
Commuters ride past a billboard with portraits of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (2L), Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf (3L), Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir (C), Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber (3R) and Chief Minister of the country's Punjab province Maryam Nawaz Sharif (2R), displayed along a street in Lahore on May 24, 2025. (AFP)
The long-running political instability and behind-the-scenes military influence in earlier decades had slowed democratic development, the defense chief argued, but the current arrangement had improved coordination.
Pakistan’s military has played a central role in national affairs since independence in 1947, including periods of direct rule after coups in 1958, 1977 and 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf toppled then-Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif is the elder brother of current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. Musharraf ruled until 2008 when elections restored civilian governance. Even under elected governments, however, the army is widely considered the invisible guiding hand in politics and in shaping foreign policy, security strategy, and often key aspects of governance.
“If this sort of [hybrid] model was adopted way back in the 90s, things would have been much, much better,” Asif said, “because the confrontation between [military] establishment and the political government, it actually retarded the progress of our democracy.”
By contrast, he said, the current “de facto” hybrid arrangement had brought the army and elected leaders together on joint forums such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military body tasked with setting and managing economic priorities jointly and overseeing big-ticket investments and trade reforms.
“We have common platforms, like SIFC and other platforms, where military leadership and civilian leadership, they sit together and decide about the business,” Asif said. “So, this is something which is a de facto arrangement and it’s working very well.”
The military’s media wing did not respond to a request for comments.
“TOTAL AGREEMENT”
Asif’s remarks about power-sharing with the army on an ever-expanding policy portfolio appear particularly relevant after Munir’s rare White House meeting with Trump on Wednesday, the first time in years that a Pakistani army chief was received by a sitting US president without civilian leadership present.
Munir was accompanied by National Security Adviser Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik, Pakistan’s serving intelligence chief who now also holds the national security portfolio. This too is a first for the country: that a sitting ISI director general is serving as NSA.
According to a statement from ISPR, the military’s public relations wing, the Munir-Trump meeting lasted two hours instead of the scheduled one, and covered not only security cooperation and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict but also wider collaboration in “trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies.”
These are areas traditionally handled by civilian ministries.
While independent analysts say this reflects the military’s increasingly visible role in economic and financial initiatives and could permanently weaken civilian supremacy in these domains, Asif insisted PM Sharif remained firmly in charge of key decisions:
“It’s something mutual, we have a co-ownership of the power structure …
“There is no superimposed system or superimposed organization on Shehbaz Sharif which dictates him and he acts accordingly … [He] is making his decisions independently and obviously he is in regular consultation with the establishment on all levels.”
But were there “crisis moments” in the relationships when the prime minister had not prevailed over the army chief in decision-making?
Asif responded:
“Believe me, very honestly, we haven’t had any moment where decisions were not made unanimously with total agreement. Things are moving very smoothly. And god willing, one day we will achieve the sort of democracy which is needed by our country.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast pre-monsoon rains across various parts of the country from today, Friday, warning of possible urban flooding and infrastructure damage in several regions.
The alert comes as Pakistan braces for another season of extreme weather, following deadly heatwaves and catastrophic floods in recent years.
Ranked among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Pakistan is ramping up preparedness efforts, especially in Punjab, where authorities expect significantly above-average rainfall this monsoon.
“Pre-monsoon rains are predicted in the country from June 20-23 with occasional gaps,” the PMD said in its advisory issued on Thursday. “Moist currents from Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea are penetrating upper and central parts of the country and a westerly wave is also likely to approach upper parts on June 20.”
The department said dust storms, rain with wind and thundershowers, including isolated heavy rainfall and hailstorms, were expected in parts of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and numerous districts of Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Affected areas include Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, Chitral, Abbottabad and Waziristan among others.
Similar conditions were also forecast for Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, and Jacobabad in Sindh province from June 22 to 24.
PMD cautioned that such weather could damage loose infrastructure such as electric poles, trees, vehicles and solar panels, particularly in upper and central regions including Islamabad.
It added that intense heat was expected to ease gradually over the forecast period, advising farmers to plan agricultural activities accordingly.
PMD also warned urban flooding could occur in Lahore, Gujranwala and the Islamabad-Rawalpindi region.
Authorities have urged the public, travelers and tourists to exercise caution.
ABOVE-NORMAL RAINFALL
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab said on Thursday the province was likely to experience 25 percent more rainfall this monsoon season, with northeastern districts expected to receive 40 percent to 60 percent above-normal rainfall.
“This projection necessitates proactive and coordinated efforts to mitigate risks associated with urban and riverine flooding,” the authority said, adding that all necessary arrangements had been completed to respond to any emergencies.
The provincial government has begun distributing pamphlets to raise public awareness about the dangers of floods, heavy rains and strong winds.
Pakistan experienced devastating floods in 2022 that left more than 1,700 people dead and displaced over 33 million across the country.
Experts described the disaster as a consequence of climate change, after floodwaters destroyed homes, farmland, and public infrastructure, causing financial losses exceeding $35 billion.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded a 99% decline in polio cases, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal told the Gavi board meeting on Thursday, calling for more investments to "train and retain" vaccinators.
The global vaccine organization Gavi helps low-income countries buy vaccines to protect against killer diseases. Around one billion children have been immunized as a result of Gavi’s work across the world since 2000.
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure, making prevention through vaccination critical. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with the completion of the routine immunization schedule for all children, are essential to build strong immunity against the virus.
According to Pakistan’s polio program, 10 cases have been confirmed so far this year, with 74 reported in 2024.
Environmental surveillance carried out earlier this year has detected the virus in 272 sewage samples collected from 127 testing sites across 68 districts, indicating ongoing transmission.
"Pakistan has witnessed over a 99% decline in polio cases — a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers and the collective efforts of all stakeholders," the health ministry quoted Kamal as saying following a virtual joint session of Gavi and Pakistan's Polio Oversight Board.
However, the statement did not specify the starting point for this decline.
"Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board,” he added. “We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators."
He called for implementing a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children and mobilizing biker teams to access far-flung areas.
The health minister said "coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring" between polio and the Expanded Program on Immunization was improving immunization coverage and delivering results.
Kamal said polio eradication remained the government's top priority, highlighting how Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally oversees the eradication efforts.
Pakistan, one of the last two countries where polio remains endemic, has made significant progress in curbing the virus, with annual cases dropping from around 20,000 in the early 1990s to just eight in 2018.
The country reported six cases in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan launched its polio eradication program in 1994, but efforts have repeatedly been hindered by widespread vaccine misinformation and resistance from hardline religious groups who claim immunization campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a front for espionage.
Militant groups have also targeted polio workers and their security escorts, often with deadly attacks that have hampered vaccination drives, particularly in the country’s remote and conflict-prone regions.
Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the poliovirus remains endemic.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will attend a meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul this weekend and call for an immediate Israel-Iran ceasefire to help restore peace in the Middle East, the foreign office said on Thursday.
The 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to focus on coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two regional rivals, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened volatility for the bloc, following Pakistan’s brief but intense military standoff with India last month and Iran’s escalating confrontation with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
"During the plenary session, the DPM/FM will share Pakistan’s perspective on the developments in South Asia following the ceasefire arrangement between Pakistan and India and the situation in the Middle East after Israel’s recent aggression against Iran and other regional states," the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement.
He added that Dar would advocate for peace in the Middle East and highlight the need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza during the meeting on June 21 and 22.
Beyond the Middle East, Dar is also expected to address broader issues of concern to the Muslim world, urging the international community to "combat the escalating tide of Islamophobia" by addressing rising extremism and militancy, as well as the growing threat of climate change.
He will also reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the principles and objectives of the OIC in addressing challenges faced by Muslim nations globally.
Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference.
According to the foreign office, he will participate in an award ceremony honoring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the “OIC Youth Forum Grand Youth Award.”
The high-level meeting is taking place amid media reports that the United States is weighing options, including potentially joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran launched retaliatory missile attacks last week after Israeli forces bombed sites linked to its nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13.
Tehran says more than 224 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the strikes. Israel has also reported over two dozen civilian deaths.
ISLAMABAD: The foreign office said on Thursday about 3,000 Pakistani nationals have been evacuated from Iran following the Israeli attack, adding the country’s diplomatic mission is working to facilitate stranded students seeking urgent evacuation.
A week of Israeli air and missile strikes, which began on June 13, has led to the killing of many of Iran’s top-ranking military officials and ordinary people. In response, Tehran’s retaliatory strikes have also killed about two dozen civilians in Israel.
Following Friday’s escalation, Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights, stranding hundreds of expatriates, including Pakistani religious tourists, students and workers.
“The evacuation is moving smoothly and so far, nearly 3,000 Pakistani nationals have already been evacuated,” foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters in his weekly media briefing.
“Our consulates in Zahedan and Mashhad have been active round the clock, extending all possible facilitation and support to our nationals who are in Iran,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Iranian authorities for their sensitivity and all possible facilitation and help extended in this process.
Khan said the Pakistani mission was using multiple routes to evacuate citizens, including via the Gabr and Taftan border crossings, through Ashgabat, Baku and even Baghdad, through special flights.
“It’s an ongoing process as there are logistical challenges at times, but we are working together with the Iranian authorities to resolve them if a problem arises,” he added.
The spokesperson said there is a sizeable Pakistani community in Iran, with many of them living in the neighboring state for years with their families after marrying local people.
STRANDED STUDENTS
Speaking to Arab News from various cities across Iran, Pakistani students expressed serious concerns about their safety and appealed for immediate evacuation.
“I have been stranded here since the suspension of flight operations due to the regional tensions,” Muhammad Hussain, a Pakistani medical student at Qom University of Medical Sciences, told Arab News over the phone.
“The situation is becoming more tense, we are now hearing continuous explosions, which has increased our concern for safety,” he said, adding that he tried to reach out to the Pakistan embassy as well who asked him to travel to the Chabahar border.
“I am unable to get any means to go there,” he said, urging the Pakistan government and the embassy to arrange special transport to take them to border.
“Our families are extremely worried, and we just want to go back,” he added.
Noman Khan, an MBBS student in Urmia, a city in Iran’s Azerbaijan province, said he was part of a group of Pakistani students, including 10 girls, awaiting repatriation amid the ongoing situation.
“We contacted the embassy to evacuate us and, about two days ago, they asked us to book a bus ourselves, promising to send the payment,” he informed, adding that even after more than 60 hours, they were still waiting for the payment without which they were unable to get transport to cross border.
“We have female students with us as well who are also scared as nearby cities were also hit by missiles,” he continued.
“Our city is about two hours away from Tabriz and almost two to three drones were shot down in our city as well.”
Saman Yunus, another medical student at Iran University of Medical Sciences, said that due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, they had been traveling for the past four days.
“The Pakistani Embassy advised us that it would be safer to go to the Chabahar border and assured us that any issues related to accommodation or other needs would be resolved within minutes,” she told Arab News.
However, she said the biggest problem they faced was that the border was not open 24/7 and there was no accommodation available.
“As a result, we had to spend the entire night on the roadside and we contacted both our university and the embassy, but no help was provided,” she continued, adding they were now heading to Pakistani consulate in Zahedan, hoping they would facilitate a safe border crossing.
“A representative there has assured us that they will handle it as soon as possible and ensure we safely cross border,” she added.
