THERE is a saying: when they can’t bear the truth, they try to destroy it.

A Pakistani movie named Verna has become the latest rage on the social media because the authorities first imposed and then rescinded a ban on its exhibition.

Verna stars Mahira Khan as the protagonist who portrays a rape victim while Haroon Shahid plays the governor’s son and is the culprit.

The film is about violence against women. It is written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor, an icon of our industry. Tongue in cheek: maybe the authorities banned Verna for not having enough item songs and vulgar dialogues.

And while we are on the subject, censorship in Pakistan is nothing new either. Fatima Jinnah’s speech on the radio was banned when she criticised Ayub Khan’s military takeover. The less said about the Quaid’s Aug 11 speech the better. Our history is full of such examples.

Anusha Ali

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2017