Pakistan, on Monday, launched a new initiative called 'Uraan Pakistan' after major OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime ignored public sentiment by failing to provide enough entertainment space for local content, unlike in India.

No one wants to give space to Pakistani content: Minister

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, has said that OTT platforms are critical gateways to the global audience; they have unfortunately been weaponised by regional politics for too long, denying Pakistani content space on them.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government was working to establish open and sustainable partnerships with global streaming services to increase the international visibility of Pakistani films and television dramas. The initiative is intended to strengthen Pakistan's entertainment industry while expanding the global reach of the country's film and television productions, he said.

"This initiative is an important part of including the country's creative and cultural industry in the export strategy of the country," he added.

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According to the minister, the government is in discussions with Netflix and other international streaming platforms to review the existing regional framework. "Our goal is clear: secure an equitable share of space and open sustainable partnership avenues for Pakistani creators," he said.

A joint secretary-level official in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the government had begun paying attention to bringing Pakistani content to global OTT platforms because, at present, they are dominated by Indian content.

Why is no company interested in giving space to Pakistani content, unlike India?

Comparing the streaming (OTT) landscape of Pakistan to India is a study in contrasts. While Pakistan is fighting a lack of representation and building its own platforms to bridge the gap, India’s OTT sector has ballooned into a multi-billion dollar behemoth that global giants cannot afford to ignore.

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In India, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney (now merged as JioHotstar) treat India as one of their most critical global growth engines. They invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually to produce premium, highly localized Indian web series and direct-to-digital films. In comparison, because of payment gateway issues, lower subscriber monetization, and political complexities, international giants have historically hesitated to commission big-budget Pakistani originals, leaving local creators to rely heavily on YouTube or state television.

(With inputs from agency)