If you were anywhere near the internet or a television set in 2013 Pakistan, you will remember a time when the entire country was in an uproar over an advertisement for condoms. In the course of 50 seconds, the ad for Josh condoms infuriated enough individuals that PEMRA was inundated with complaints.
The outrage was shared by the esteemed experts over at PEMRA, with the authority’s spokesman telling reporters that airing content like this during the holy month of Ramadan was something that “warrants serious action.” He added that, not only did the advertisement breach Pakistan’s broadcasting standards, its flagrant disregard for Islamic morals also rendered it “unconstitutional.”
Putting aside the ridiculous claim of constitutional conflict, especially considering the Islamic Holy Book discusses sex during Ramzan very openly, the ruffled feathers point towards a worrying trend. Despite being the fifth largest country in the world by population, Pakistan’s market for contraceptives is in abysmal shape. This includes pills and IUDs, but most importantly condoms, which are the most common form of contraception in the world.
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