Karachi: The ARY Digital Network has officially announced the launch of ARY Plus, a homegrown Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platform designed to showcase Pakistani dramas, news, and entertainment content to a global audience. Speaking in an exclusive interview on Kamran Khan's show On My Radar, ARY Digital Network President and CEO Salman Iqbal revealed that the application has been in development for three to four years in direct response to requests from the overseas Pakistani diaspora for a dedicated streaming service.
Primarily positioned as a dedicated Urdu language drama network, ARY Plus aims to unify and serve the global Urdu speaking audience, particularly across South Asia and international diaspora communities. Highlighting the shifting cultural dynamics, Iqbal noted that while Indian television trends once dominated Pakistani households decades ago, the dynamic has reversed, with Pakistani Urdu dramas now garnering immense popularity across digital platforms in India and worldwide. ARY Plus seeks to capitalise on this international demand by providing a centralised home for high quality Urdu storytelling that resonates across borders.
In a major strategic shift, Iqbal confirmed that ARY Digital will remove its drama series from YouTube starting September 17, 2026, establishing ARY Plus as the exclusive primary digital home for its programming. The platform will operate on a free, unlimited streaming model without subscription fees, aggregating content across the network including ARY News and Jeeto Pakistan.
Furthermore, ARY Plus plans to integrate a user-generated content (UGC) model allowing independent creators to upload original works, backed by a formal royalty system that compensates artists as long as their productions remain active on the app.
