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British-Pakistani filmmaker Seemab Gul’s award-winning film Ghost School has been denied certification by the Sindh Board of Certification, preventing its theatrical release in the province where the film is set. The decision has sparked discussion about artistic expression, girls’ education and the portrayal of social issues through cinema. Gul has appealed to the Sindh Board to reconsider its decision. She said the film was made from a child’s perspective and aims to encourage audiences to think about education and the challenges faced by children. The filmmaker said she had asked the board to explain the reason for refusing certification but had not received an explanation. Despite the decision in Sindh, Ghost School has already gained recognition at several international film festivals. The film won the Best Director award at the UK Asian Film Festival. It also premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a nomination in a major competition category. It was later screened at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah. The film also received an honourable mention at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and secured a special award at the Asian, African and Latin American Film Festival. The film follows 10-year-old Rabia, who tries to understand why the only school in her rural village has stopped operating. Through the young girl’s journey, the story examines barriers to girls’ education, resilience and problems within publicly funded schools. The film focuses on the issue of so-called “ghost schools”. These are schools that exist officially but are no longer functioning properly as educational institutions. Gul explained that some such schools were never fully completed. They may lack basic facilities such as doors, windows, water, electricity or gas. In other cases, she said, schools were completed and teachers initially worked there, but operations eventually stopped. The filmmaker described the issue as a serious challenge in Pakistan, where millions of children remain outside the formal education system. Gul said the film was not intended simply to highlight a problem. Instead, she wanted to tell the story through a child’s eyes and encourage discussion about access to education. The refusal to certify the film in Sindh has therefore raised broader questions about whether filmmakers should be able to explore sensitive social issues through cinema. Gul has urged the provincial certification authority to review its decision and allow audiences to watch the film.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has defended the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) after a video of the two officials arriving at an Independence Day event in a horse-drawn carriage triggered criticism on social media. CDA Chairman retired Lt Sohail Ashraf and Islamabad IGP Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi were seen arriving at the parade in the carriage. The video showed event organisers asking the audience to applaud as the officials arrived, but little response could be heard from the crowd. The footage quickly spread online, with several social media users describing the scene as outdated and comparing it with practices associated with the colonial era. Naqvi later issued a clarification, saying the officials should not be blamed for using the carriage. According to the interior minister, the chief guest and he were delayed because of a meeting between the president and prime minister. He said people had been waiting at the venue since 5pm. When it became clear that the senior officials would arrive late, instructions were given to start the programme so that citizens would not have to wait any longer. Naqvi explained that the horse carriage had originally been arranged for the chief guest. However, due to the delay, it was used by the CDA chairman and Islamabad police chief to proceed with the programme. The minister also said both officers had initially been reluctant to begin the event in the absence of the chief guest and himself. He maintained that they proceeded only after receiving specific instructions. Despite the explanation, criticism continued online. Former federal minister Shireen Mazari shared the video and questioned the decision, while digital rights activist Usama Khilji criticised what he described as behaviour inappropriate for senior government officials. Several journalists and public figures also reacted strongly to the footage. Journalist Farzana Ali questioned the appropriateness of such a display at a time when ordinary citizens are facing economic difficulties. Journalist Zarrar Khuhro described the scene as embarrassing, while researcher Ammar Rashid criticised what he viewed as the growing distance between government officials and the public. Former Pemra chairman Absar Alam also condemned the incident, calling it an example of an outdated bureaucratic mindset. Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair drew a comparison with the recent visit of Norway’s foreign minister to Islamabad. He highlighted footage showing the foreign minister handling his own luggage at the airport and contrasted it with the behaviour shown in the Islamabad parade video

Sindh Senior Minister for Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that 80 to 85 per cent of the work on the corridor along Karachi’s University Road has been completed. He said the remaining work is expected to be finished by September 15, after which the road project will be fully completed. Sharjeel Memon made the remarks during a visit to the BRT Red Line project. He reviewed the ongoing construction work and the traffic situation along University Road. The minister said traffic is currently moving smoothly on the road and that there are no major disruptions to the flow of vehicles. He also announced that a large number of double-decker buses are expected to arrive in Karachi next month. Electric vehicles will also be introduced as part of efforts to improve the city’s public transport system. According to the minister, the Sindh government has already approved 500 electric buses. He added that Pink Scooties would soon be made available for women as part of initiatives aimed at improving mobility and transportation options. Sharjeel Memon said the provincial government was working on several public service projects across different sectors. He maintained that the Pakistan Peoples Party comes to power through the public mandate and focuses on completing development and welfare projects after assuming office. Speaking about Thar, the minister said the region has extensive coal reserves that can be used to generate relatively inexpensive electricity. He said Thar coal could also be utilised to meet the energy requirements of power plants across Pakistan. He further highlighted what he described as the Pakistan Peoples Party’s contribution to the country, including its role in Pakistan’s development as a nuclear power. Discussing the performance of the Sindh government, Memon said work was continuing around the clock in different departments. He said significant progress had been made on a housing programme aimed at constructing 2.1 million homes, with a large number of houses already completed. The minister described the housing initiative as one of the largest projects of its kind in the world. He also referred to the Shahrah-e-Bhutto, saying heavy traffic on the newly constructed road demonstrated its importance and success. He claimed Sindh was the only province focusing on practical development rather than political propaganda. On Karachi’s transport needs, Memon said public transport services would be expanded across the city without discrimination. He said voters could support any political party, but the government would continue to provide transport facilities in every part of Karachi. The minister also highlighted developments in Sindh’s healthcare sector. He said the provincial government was providing free and modern medical facilities and had introduced several initiatives before similar measures were adopted elsewhere. Memon also pointed to the province’s air ambulance service, saying the facility had already been operational for some time.