CULTURE is an umbrella which encompasses social behaviour, institutions and norms found in human societies as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals. Culture is often originated from or attributed to a specific region or location. Expressive arts are important aspects of human culture. Humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation and socialization which is shown by the diversity of cultures across societies. The new film policy aims to address challenges by providing financial support to filmmakers, lifting censorship restrictions and building new cinemas. Ministry of Information’s Film Directorate has been recently restructured. In order to ensure smooth implementation and regular monitoring of the impact of the policy, a Film Directorate, under the existing HR allocation, is proposed. Fiscal incentives to facilitate film and drama production in Pakistan are being initiated.
Different facilities like Custom Duty on import of equipment related to the industry for 10 years and Sales Tax holiday, Film and Drama Finance Fund are offered. At present, in the absence of an enabling environment and non-availability of resources, film & drama production is an expensive venture in Pakistan. Without adequate state funding, it has become increasingly impossible for film & drama producers, especially the budding and young film & drama graduates, to translate their ideas into international standard production. With an aim to give a boost to film & drama production and to ensure availability of adequate resources for the film & drama producers, a Film & Drama Finance Fund is proposed with initial seed money of Rs. two billion. A tax payer SECP listed company can also access the Finance Fund for film and drama, the establishment of film academy, culture and heritage museums, film museum, academies, studios, cinema houses building, production houses and post-production facilities. A fund management committee, Pakistan Film Council, is in its final stages of development to ensure these grants.
Film, drama and culture infrastructure: Any investment in project areas like culture and heritage museums, film museums, academies, studios, cinemas by companies and individuals will get income tax exemption for a period of five years. The same relaxation is also available to any SECP listed company which opts to invest in building any such facility. Furthermore, the venture will be given the status of “Corporate Social Responsibility” under which the concerned company will be eligible to claim the tax deduction from their tax liability. Income tax incentives for revival of cinema houses are offered to those, who are interested. In order to ensure increased profits, it is important to reach out to larger groups at affordable ticket range. It is, therefore, proposed that all such cinema houses with a maximum ticket range of Rs.350 be exempted from Income Tax for a period of five years with permission to increase 15% in ticket price after every three years to match the inflation rate. This incentive of 15% per three years in ticket price will be applicable to a Cinema House from the date it becomes operational.
Artist Assistance Fund 2018, with an initial graft of rupees five billion, is being created. This fund will be at the disposal of the Federal Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National History & Literary Heritage and will be dispersed on the advice and recommendation of the Film Directorate and Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). It is being proposed that the deserving artists be included in the database of the PM’s National Health Program to facilitate dignified access to healthcare facilities across country after approval and verification of the Film Directorate. Income Tax Holiday on local films and drama production in Pakistan is also offered. The production of films & dramas shot in Pakistan will have 100% income tax exemption for at least five years for the industry to revive and establish as a contributor to the GDP requirement. Tax Rebate on export of Pakistani films and drama for 10 years is another lucrative offer. Promotion of Pakistan films and drama serials should be exempted from export tax through rebates and tax exemption for promotion of Pakistani films and dramas in the foreign market as the same is a mechanism of promoting the soft and positive image by the countries across the globe.
Proper regulation for all mediums whereby films are being shown or sold publicly. In fact, screen tourism is being promoted in the country. The Film Directorate will establish an online “location library” as a tool to help potential national and foreign film-makers to identify the unique locations for filming and cinematography. Co-production, film & drama export treaties will be facilitated and made easy. Funds have been allocated both for Film Finance and Artists Health Insurance for the first time ever. Very reasonable amount of rupees two billion has been allocated for Film Finance Fund and rupees one billion for the Health Insurance of the artistes. These measures will play pivotal role in the development of our film industry and improvement in the welfare of our artistes. This will play a key role in the promotion of Pakistan’s narrative, heritage and culture through films as well as the growth of screen tourism in Pakistan. These concerns and measures will revive film, drama, theatre and music once again. Multiple exchange of diverse cultural delegations will help learn more and more from different civilizations across the world.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador, political analyst & author of several books based in Islamabad.
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