Pakistan's first TV condom ad banned

'Indecent, immoral' advert removed by Pakistan's regulatory agency

Condom advert in Pakistan banned

A contraception advert depicting a newly married man recommending condoms to a friend has been removed from the air by Pakistan's media regulators.

"It was in sheer disregard to our socio-cultural and religious values." the agency said, having received thousands of complaints from viewers

The advert, which was produced by the American non-profit organisation DKT International, features controversial Pakistani supermodel Mathira Khan, who earlier this year courted controversy with a scantily clad cover shoot for Pakistan’s Fashion Diet magazine.

A number of taboos are broken in the advert, which advocate – subtly at best – sex for pleasure and limiting family size.

DKT International says it prides itself on breaking with cultural norms to spread contraceptive methods. The company’s YouTube page has a section titled "Pushing the Boundaries: Using Sex to Sell Family Planning."

Research this year from the United Nations said that Pakistan's population of 180 million was growing at two per cent annually, and that around one third of women in the country have no access to birth control.

"Shortages of contraceptives are only one reason why millions of people are still unable to exercise their right to family planning," said the United Nations Population Fund in a statement.

"Access to family planning may also be restricted by forces including poverty, negative social pressures, gender inequality and discrimination."