A RESOLUTION on royalties for Pakistani artists has been submitted in the Senate, raising hopes that the country will properly recognise the talent of our entertainment industry and give them their dues. PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan shared the news and acknowledged that the no-royalties system in the country means that artists’ copyright is misused and they are deprived of their rightful earnings. The senator said the aim is to empower the copyright board to fix royalties for licensing and the assignment of work and ensure that payments are made to the artists whenever their work is used. The announcement has been hailed by many members of the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, the senator had said that a comprehensive bill regarding the royalties issue was being prepared and that the no-royalties system would be addressed.

If royalties are paid and a system for copyright registration enforced, it would be a milestone for Pakistan’s entertainment industry. Too many artists in our history have gone unacknowledged and unpaid for work that was theirs but not compensated due to the absence of a system. Most recently, actor Nyla Jaffri, who died in July, struggled to fund her cancer treatment even though she had a flourishing career back in the day. There are many other stars who, despite being very successful, end up facing financial hardship because they are not compensated even though their work is used. In countries where the entertainment industry is strong, a royalties payment system exists so that each time an artist’s work is broadcast on TV or replayed on the airwaves, they are compensated for it as it is their copyright. This system does not exist in Pakistan, even though the entertainment industry is now a dynamic space. It is unfortunate that artists have suffered and sometimes met a premature death due to money troubles, and have had to rely on social media campaigns for donations. Creating a system where their professional contributions are appropriately compensated would be a step in the right direction.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2021