ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ban on Bollywood thriller ‘Raees’ sparked a social media backlash on Wednesday, after the film featuring Indian superstar Shahrukh Khan was denounced for portraying Muslims as “terrorists”. The government decision to bar the 2017 action film came after Pakistani cinemas lifted their own ban on Indian films. Bollywood movies and Khan in particular are immensely popular in Pakistan and the film also stars leading Pakistani actress, Mahira Khan. But the industry has become a political battleground amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed states in Indian-held Kashmir. The film “portrays Muslims as terrorists and violent people”, Mubahsar Hassan, chairman of the Pakistan Film Censor Board, told media. A second official complained about the comparison between Muslims and Hindus. “This film gave a message that all Muslims do bad things and are involved in crimes while Hindus are gentlemen and they stop them from the dirty work,” he told media on condition of anonymity. But fans dismissed the concerns, with many arguing that art can be about politics but politics should have no place in art. “This ban on ‘Raees’ is an example of the kind of absurdities Pakistan’s moral crusaders and grovelling bureaucrats can attain on their own,” Tweeted Pakistani filmmaker and journalist Hasan Zaidi. “Ban on Indian movie ‘Raees’ is a ban on Mahira for her barely acting debut. Why Pak censor boards hate Mahira so much?” said writer Haji S Pasha. Some, however, backed the censors. Lawyer and university professor Yasmin Ali, wrote, “I support the ban on ‘Raees’ owing to showing Muslims of a particular sect of Islam conducting heinous crimes and being terrorists.” Pakistani cinemas last October announced a ban on Indian films following strained relations between Islamabad and Delhi, lifting it only last month.