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By Shumaila Noreen
ISLAMABAD, Jun 05 (APP): As the world grapples with record-breaking heatwaves, vanishing glaciers, and devastating floods, the climate crisis no longer feels like a distant threat, but it’s here, it’s now, and it’s deeply personal.
In a world overwhelmed by statistics and warnings, “Jahan Aur Bhi Hain-Beyond the Blue” chooses a different path, one that speaks to the heart before the headlines.
Premiered on Pakistan Television (PTV) to mark World Environment Day on Thursday, Jahan Aur Bhi Hain is not a typical science fiction. It’s Pakistan’s first space-driven climate telefilm- a blend of cinematic drama, scientific foresight, and emotional storytelling that tackles some of the nation’s most urgent questions through the lens of one woman’s race to stop a disaster.
At the heart of the story is Dr. Zainab, a brilliant climate scientist at a leading space technology university in Pakistan. When she and her students identify atmospheric signals suggesting an imminent cloudburst, a rare, violent rainstorm capable of flooding entire regions, she raises the alarm.
Considering bureaucracy as a slow machine and her university’s leadership dismissed her urgency, insisting it’s a “government matter.” Time, however, doesn’t wait for committees.
Driven by science and bound by memory, Dr. Zainab sets out on her own. The coordinates of the storm’s impact zone point to a place she knows too well– her ancestral village, where she once walked away from tradition to pursue education, freedom, and her dreams.
Estranged from her father-a proud elder who felt betrayed by his daughter’s “escape”-Dr. Zainab returns home not just to warn, but to protect. Her mission is not only to evacuate the village and save lives using the latest in space-based geospatial technology and satellite data, but to confront the emotional ruptures left behind.
By her side is her husband, an artist, not a scientist, whose quiet strength and unwavering support provide the film with one of its most tender emotional cores.
“This is the kind of role that asks you to carry science in one hand and emotion in the other,” says Amna Ilyas, who plays Dr. Zainab.
“What moved me most was how close this character felt –a girl who dared to dream, who left everything behind to pursue knowledge, and who returns not as a stranger, but as a force of hope. It’s rare to see women scientists portrayed with this much agency and emotional complexity. That made it not just a performance, but a privilege.”
The film’s visual scope is both intimate and vast. Directed by Sarmad Cheema and produced by Ahmed Baig Barlas, it weaves together moments of familial tension, technological urgency, and rural vulnerability, all set against the ever-looming threat of climate devastation. The screenplay, penned by Salina Khan, flows with lyrical intensity, delivering moments of quiet grief and sweeping grandeur in equal measure.
“We didn’t want to make a film about data, we wanted to make a film about decisions,” says Sarmed Cheema, the film’s director.
“One of the biggest challenges was translating something as vast, abstract, and technical as space-based climate forecasting into visual storytelling that feels personal and urgent. The science is complex but it affects people in very real ways. Striking that balance between emotional depth and scientific accuracy was delicate, but essential. That’s what science communication demands: not just accuracy, but empathy. And cinema, at its best, can do both.”
While climate change is the storm above, Jahan Aur Bhi Hain is ultimately a film about belonging, bravery, and reconciliation.
Space Technology as a Public Good
Backed by the National Center of GIS and Space Applications (NCGSA) at the Institute of Space Technology (IST), the film is a bold move in science communication, showing how space technology can be used for civilian preparedness and not just elite missions.
Satellite data, terrain modeling, and early warning systems aren’t just technical jargon here, but rather portrayed as tools of empowerment, especially for marginalized and climate-vulnerable communities.
Supported by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, and in collaboration with Beaconhouse National University, Lock Down Productions, and the Global Climate-Change Impact Studies Centre (GCCISC), this is not just a film but a national message wrapped in storytelling.
“IST has always believed in science with a purpose,” said Maj. Gen. (R) Syed Najeeb Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of IST.
“This telefilm exemplifies how academic institutions can play a central role in national discourse from laboratories to living rooms.”
As it aired on June 5 (World Environment Day), the film marks a significant step for Pakistan’s cultural and scientific identity. It’s a call to universities, ministries, and media outlets alike: make science visible, make stories matter.
“This project marks a turning point in how we imagine science communication in Pakistan,” added Prof. Dr. Najam Abbas Naqvi, Chairman of NCGSA. “We sought to humanize science, to make space technology part of everyday conversation. And through this film, we hope to spark not just interest, but action.”
Shoaib Sultan, Executive Producer of the film, reflected on the broader vision:
“This initiative from NCGSA wasn’t just about making a film but about starting a conversation. From the very beginning, we knew this story had to carry the weight of science, the urgency of climate reality, and the human pulse of those it affects. This project proves that cinema in Pakistan can do more than entertain; it can educate, inspire, and lead national discourse on the most pressing issues of our time. I believe this is just the beginning of what meaningful, purpose-driven storytelling can look like in our industry.”
In recent weeks, Pakistan has witnessed devastating climate events: a cloudburst in Muzaffarabad’s Bhalgran area claimed three lives and destroyed numerous homes; severe storms across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.
These incidents highlight the escalating threat of climate-induced disasters. Jahan Aur Bhi Hain serves as a poignant reminder that the true power of science lies not just in discovery but in preparedness, connection, and collective action.