Boycott ARY digital trends on social media after derogatory remarks about Pashtuns (also known as Pathans or Pakhtuns) in ARY’s comedy-drama Bulbulay. Bulbulay (Urdu: بُلبُلے, English: Bubbles) is a Pakistani family sitcom about an unconventional Pakistani family. Watch the derogatory remarks about Pathans in Bulbulay which sparked anger, in the video, below.
According to details, an outrage sparked on social media after ARY DIGITAL’s Drama Serial Bulbulay showed derogatory remarks about Pathans in one of Its scene.
The controversial scene of Bulbulay shows Nabeel (the main character of Bulbulay) along with his father talking on the phone to the other character Sher Khan (Performing the role of a Pashtun). While Sher Khan tells them about his arrival at Karachi and asks about their desired gifts, Nabeel makes fun of Sher Khan by saying to his father “what will he bring for us? Naswar (Snuff) or an explosive device.”
This 40 seconds long scene and the conversation in Bulbulay sparked a wave of anger and people are criticising ARY Digital, producer of Bulbulay and the whole cast for insulting Pathans by presenting them as ‘Drug dealers’ and ‘terrorists’.
People called for Boycott ARY Digital and hashtag #BoycottAryDigital became the top trend on Twitter in Pakistan. Within a few hours, over 34 thousand Tweets were published criticising ARY Digital, Drama Serial Bulbulay and its team.
A Twitter user ‘Twitter ID: Black Listed’ shared the video of Bulbulay’s controversial Scene and wrote: tweet reads “Just check the mentality of the production team and especially the writer and then all the actors. how shameful words are use for Pathans. I am proud of my pathan brothers Shame on you.”
Another Twitter user “Khan” wrote: “If it has happened in any western country, they would have banned the channel long ago. #پشتونبہمنے #BoycottAryDigital.”
Team KPK Said “We Pakhtoons are not terrorists nor drug dealers. We are Patriotic Pakistanis and we respect all ethnicities. @arydigitalasia you MUST apologise immediately for portraying Pakhtoons as terrorists. We have made more sacrifices than anyone else.”
Hundreds of people on social media are still sharing Pictures of Pashtun heroes in Pakistan’s history and showing their support with Pashtuns following ‘Boycott ARY Digital’ campaign. Watch some tweets, below.
My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist:
In response to the outrage and ‘Boycott ARY Digital’ calls on social media, Bulbulay’s producer Nabeel shared a video message justifying his intent of “Just comedy and no offence to any race and ethnicity.” See Nabeel’s Video message, below.