ISLAMABAD – Prominent Pakistani actor, director and TV personality Yasir Hussain has sparked debate in the predominantly Muslim country after suggesting that pornography should be legalized there and that society should recognize that so many Pakistanis are already regular consumers.
In a candid speech on a popular video podcast hosted by Ahmed Ali Butt, Hussain referred to widely rumored data indicating that Pakistanis are among the top viewers of adult content in the world, with some people even believing that the country even tops the list would be.
Hussain then said, “Why don’t we legalize porn and let the government and people make money from it?”
His comments were quickly sensationalized by local media, who framed it as if Hussein had “find himself at the center of a media storm again” over his proposal.
Hussain, who is married to one of Pakistan’s most popular entertainers, Iqra Aziz, said, “He neither watches nor has any interest in creating adult content but noted that consumption of such material is widespread,” said the Pakistani Daily Times. reported. “He pointed out that some plays already flirt with adult themes, indicating a cultural tolerance that can be monetized.”
The Daily Times report said Hussein’s proposal has “opened a broader discussion about the regulation of adult content in Pakistan, a country often in the news for high consumption rates of such material despite strict laws.”
Repressive anti-porn laws – such as those of Pakistan, China, and the copycat state “age verification” laws being passed in the US – make it virtually impossible to obtain accurate data on the amount and type of porn consumption, as many consumers overwhelmingly opt out to use VPNs and other methods to bypass them.