ISLAMABAD: Prime Minis-ter Imran Khan on Friday gave a go-ahead for revival of the country’s crippling film industry and cinemas to promote culture and national heritage, besides ensuring jobs and economic activities in the sector.

The prime minister made this decision at a meeting he chaired on the issue of revival of the film industry.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa presented a working paper on revival of film and cinema industry which was approved by the prime minister. “I prepared and presented the working paper in the meeting which was approved by the prime minister,” Mr Bajwa told Dawn when contacted.

The meeting decided to give incentives to the people associated with the film and cinema industry and stressed the need for making quality films instead of showing obscenity. The prime minister vowed his support to revival of the film industry, basically for the promotion of culture, national heritage and entertainment of the people.

He also emphasised the need for increasing number of films being made in the country and directed the quarters concerned for establishing a fund for monetary support to filmmakers and artists.

Meeting approves working paper to achieve the objective

It was apprised in the meeting that presently the country has 70 cinemas and 150 multiplex screens. On this the prime minister said the common man could not afford watching movies in modern multiplex screens. Therefore, he added, single screen cinemas should be established across the country with affordable cost of watching films.

The prime minister was infor­med that once more than 1,150 cinemas existed in the country, but in the year 2000 their number fell drastically to 25 to 30.

PM chairs meeting on electricity: Earlier, the prime minister chaired a meeting to review provision of uninterrupted electricity to the people and reforms in the power sector.

The prime minister said provision of affordable and uninterrupted supply of electricity was one of the top priorities of the present government.

He lauded expert opinions given by some experts for electricity sector and vowed to support them in the future in the process of reforms in the sector.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2020