Films defeat extremism, intolerance, promote culture, national heritage: Marriyum

564

KARACHI May 5 (APP): Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Ms Marriyum Aurangzeb in her inaugural address to the Consultative Conference at Karachi convened for the formulation of the first ever national policy on Film, Production and Broadcast said
that the Government would take the ownership of the Industry in line with the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was very keen to set into motion an effective process for its revival.
She said that the purpose of the consultative process was to ascertain the views of all the stakeholders and seek their input with a view to evolve a policy which was comprehensive in scope and could help in achieving the desired objectives.
Marriyum said that Pakistan had a very vibrant and thriving film industry in the sixties and seventies which served as an effective forum not only
to provide entertainment to the masses but also to reinforce the cultural values and the
national heritage that had a galvanizing impact on national
integration and unity.
She lamented the fact that the industry failed to counter
the onslaught of the other mediums like internet and
the digital technologies in the absence of patronage at the
official level and a pragmatic strategy to deal with
the emerging challenges.
The continuous nosedive and decline in the film industry was
a great national loss in terms of ideological moorings as the new developments obscured the role of the film and broadcast production in promoting and strengthening cultural values and the national
heritage, she added.
The minister observed that the emergence of fissiparous
tendencies in the society and the narratives of religious
extremism and terrorism over the last 35 years were
undoubtedly the disastrous consequences of the absence of a
powerful medium like films to help in the development of a
credible and effective counter-narrative. She said though some
brave and enterprising elements were still in the business but
their efforts were not enough in the prevailing
debilitating environment.
Marriyum said that Pakistanis were a resilient nation and
the armed forces of the country and its people had
given unparalleled sacrifices for eliminating the scourge of
terrorism but the Prime Minister felt that only the military muscle
of the state was not enough to take the fight against
religious extremism and terrorism to its logical conclusion and it
needed to be supplemented by an ideological counter-narrative
to challenge the narrative of the enemies of the country. She said
that in the estimation of the Prime Minister films were the
most powerful medium to achieve that objective and a
comprehensive policy for the revival and development of film,
production and broadcast policy was needed, she added.
She said because of the permeating culture of religious extremism, terrorism and intolerance, the image of the country had been
badly tarnished in the comity of nations as well, but our first
priority was to set the things right on the internal front which
would also help us in dealing with the image problem at the international level.
The minister told the audience that the consultative conference
had been convened to pursue a common goal which was the revival of
the film industry and expressed the hope that a policy evolved
through the collective wisdom of all the stakeholders would
surely witness the re-emergence of a strong and dynamic film
and broadcast production industry in the country that would go a long
way in fostering national unity, countering divisive
and disruptive narratives and refurbishing the image of the country
at the global level.
The inaugural session was attended by governor Sindh
Muhammad Zubair, Senator Nihal Hashmi, film producers,
artists, exhibitors, distributors and other stakeholders associated with film and broadcast production industry.
Later talking to the media persons the minister said films would be used to strengthen national unity and stability, introducing the
Pakistani culture and heritage at the global level and to create awareness among the people against religious extremism and terrorism.
She said extremism and terrorism that had proliferated during
the last 35 years had promoted a culture of intolerance in the
society which needed to be neutralized and films were the
medium through which that objective could be achieved.
She said the objective of the film policy was to highlight
the positive aspects of our national life and culture as well as
to provide healthy entertainment to the youth.
The minister told the media men that PTV was soon launching
a separate entertainment channel for children .She said that PTV academy would also commence a country-wide talent hunt for the industry.
She said the government wanted to project real identity of
Pakistan at the international level. The minister observed that
in the sixties the film industry in Pakistan ranked third in the world.
She said that the government wanted to formulate a film
policy that could be remembered by the posterity.

APP/Zaheer

VNS, Islamabad