Cinemas to get Bollywood permission in three months

By Anjum Gill

LAHORE: Federal Additional Secretary for Culture Zafar Ahmed said on Tuesday that Pakistani cinemas were likely to be given permission to screen Indian films in three months.

“A summary about the screening of Indian films in Pakistan is to be sent to the cabinet within a couple of days with comments from four different ministries,” Mr Ahmed told journalists at a seminar. He said the Culture Ministry had prepared a favourable summary and sent it for comments to the information, foreign affairs and interior ministries.

Mr Ahmed said the demands of the cinemas owners would be met if they upgraded facilities and security at their theatres. He said the Indian films would be subject to censorship.

Pakistani cinemas have spent a long time trying to convince the government that screening Indian movies is the only solution to the low audiences at cinemas. They have threatened to close down cinemas over the unavailability of Pakistani films. Quite a few cinemas have already been closed and several have been converted into theatres.