STAFF REPORTER
The government on Saturday announced the formation of a federal censor board that will work in conjunction with the provincial censor boards across the country. The announcement was made by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan during a news conference in Lahore. “After the 18th Amendment, provinces had established different censor boards so a uniform policy could not be created,” she said, adding that the matter of a new federal censor board would be presented in the Council of Common Interests. Awan also announced that the government would be recognising cinema as an industry as it had done with film production. “The information ministry will also forward recommendations to the prime minister to exempt film producers and cinema owners from certain taxes,” the government spokesperson said. She added that a committee will present a report on the threats and problems afflicting the film industry. The government will also accept valid demands of the film industry before it announces a new film policy. “We are going to incorporate all [cinema owners’] valid concerns. No policy can be made without consulting all stakeholders.” While commending the desire of people affiliated with film-making and production to invest in the country and transmit cultural values to the next generation, Awan said the government wanted to support local producers and connect them to audi ences. She added that the government needs to revive the industry so that the “economic wheel turns”. Meanwhile, the prime minister’s special assistant Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari tweeted that Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting with cinema owners to recognise them as an industry. He further said that he would be meeting with all stakeholders himself to further the premier’s “vision for Pakistani cinema”.
