Pakistan using cinema to push anti-India narrative, Khalistani agenda: Report
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Islamabad: Pakistani cinema is increasingly serving as a tool to promote anti-India propaganda and advance the Khalistani agenda, manipulating religious symbols and sacred sites for political gain, according to a report published Monday.
Filmmakers facing restrictions in India reportedly find safe haven in Pakistan to produce unrestricted content glorifying Khalistan, which then spreads virally on social media.
The ‘Khalsa Vox’ report highlights how state-supported filmmakers, influencers, and media houses use cinema to divert attention from Pakistan's domestic failures like corruption and misgovernance in Punjab.
Instead of addressing internal issues while India gains global recognition for economic growth and reforms, Pakistan mobilises cultural production against its neighbour.
Pakistani films have long portrayed Sikh characters, particularly women, through controversial lenses like Islamization and "conversion romance," which Sikh leaders denounce as insulting.
Filming at sacred sites like Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birthplace, has sparked outrage as beadbi (desecration). Sikh authorities stress gurdwaras exist solely for spiritual practice and devotion, not commercial or political exploitation.
The report questions the complicity of individuals compromising religious sanctity for money, visibility, or state protection.
(Inputs from IANS)