\nLAHORE: The Punjab government\u2019s policy towards theatre timings has dealt \u201ca serious blow\u201d to the commercial theatre, resulting in a loss of millions of rupees since the new timings were enforced in November 2008, artists and theatre producers have said.\n<\/p>\n
\nBound: The Home Department\u2019s notifications and the Dramatic Performances Act 1876 contain no clause that could force theatres to close at 11pm. The Punjab government, however, has bound the theatres to close at 11pm, while the cinemas remain open until 12:30am. The artists and commercial theatre producers termed it a \u201cdiscriminatory policy\u201d and said it had deprived many artists from earning their bread. According to the policy, the government changed the timings to stop vulgarity. Producers said, \u201cThe government told us that it has reviewed the old timings due to law and order situation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nOn the other hand, they said, cinemas were allowed to run shows until 12:30 am.\n<\/p>\n
\nA Home Department notification said, \u201cThe district coordination officers will be held responsible for monitoring of dramatic performances within their respective districts. They will also monitor vulgar\/obscene stage performances. In case of any violation they will report to the Home Department.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nAnother notification said the Censor Rehearsal Panel \u201cshall watch, formulate and sign the Full Dress Censor Rehearsal jointly\u201d. According to the notification, only \u201csituational musical items\u201d were allowed in theatres, if approved by the panel and were not obscene, vulgar or provocative.\n<\/p>\n
\nReview timings: Commercial Producers Association Chairman Chaudhry Zulfiqar said they were against vulgarity, adding the government should ban dances if it was against them. He said, \u201cWe demand that the government review the timings. The government should save the theatre from collapse. Punjab is the place where maximum number of dramas is staged across the world. We are against vulgarity, so the government should promote clean theatre,\u201d he said. Afshar Rahi, a daily-wage artist, said, \u201cI have to go back home without work, as the new timings have affected the production work.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHome Department Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif said the timings were implemented through an executive order. He said cinema timings were the federal government\u2019s issue. He did not agree with the point that the timings were affecting the theatre producers. He said theatres were closed early across the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nLAHORE: The Punjab government<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"persona":[],"class_list":["post-3260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n