NewsMarch 08 , 2020
Govt to give Pakistani cinema status of industry: Awan
LAHORE: The government has announced that Pakistani cinema will be given the full-fledged status of an industry.
“To positively highlight Pakistan’s image in the international arena, it has become of the utmost urgency to revive its cinema,” said the prime minister's special assistant on information and broadcasting, during a press conference on Saturday.
She said that the authority to censor films will lie with the Federal Censor Board which will be formed after consultation with the provincial government.
Awan said it had become a priority to highlight Pakistan’s culture, values, and traditions with the aid of the film industry.
She assured the media that no policy will be formulated without the input of all stakeholders.
“Today’s youth have no entertainment options available,” she acknowledged.
She called on film producers to play their role in the economic progress of the country and pledged the government’s role in making every effort for the revival of Pakistani cinema.
The PM’s aide confirmed that a meeting between the premier and the PTI social media team had taken place earlier in the day. She said that the team had “played an important role in the realisation of the prime minister’s vision” and that social media is an important forum to highlight the government’s successes.
Aurat March
Speaking of the Aurat March, which will be held on International Women’s Day, Awan said that the prime minister is resolute in seeing women development become a reality in Pakistan and wished to see women empowered.She said that there was no prohibition on the observance of Aurat March. “The government has introduced important legislation to safeguard the rights of women,” she pointed out.
“For them to raise their voice for their rights is an encouraging thing to see.”
She said that everyone’s responsibility to protect the honour and sanctity of women and in society “had already been laid out [within societal and religious norms]”.
PML-N leadership 'humiliated'
Referring to the return of the second-tiered leadership of the PML-N “who had gone for a pilgrimage” to meet with MQM-P leaders and had “returned humiliated”, she said that Ahsan Iqbal and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi were now “in search of a balm to soothe their wounds”.She warned the two PML-N leaders that obtaining bail in their respective cases does not mean that the cases are over.
Awan wondered how it was that Nawaz Sharif’s illness still remained undiagnosed.
Govt does not stand in NAB's way
Speaking of the National Accountability Bureau’s actions, she said that if a minister is summoned by the anti-graft body, the government does not create any hurdles in its way.She said that the people’s reservations against NAB stem from its prosecution. “NAB is an independent organisation. The government believes in freedom of institutions,” said the special aide.
Aziz Memon's autopsy report 'cause for great concern'
Awan also spoke of the murder of journalist Aziz Memon and how his death had been declared to be from natural causes. “This is the same lab which had declared that bottles [in Sharjeel Memon’s possession] contained honey,” she remarked.She said such a declaration by the lab for Memon’s murder was a cause for great concern.
Awan said the prime minister had taken a personal interest in the murder and had asked the Inspector General of Sindh to provide him a detailed report.
“The government is in touch with his family and wishes to see justice served,” she said.
'Things could have been different for PPP'
Speaking of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Awan said that “had he played the right role in opposition during PML-N’s tenure in government, the situation would have been very different”.She said that in the absence of an opposition leader, “those wishing to take up the mantle kept on holding meetings”.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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