PESHAWAR: Artists and experts on culture have asked the provincial government to invite stakeholders to formulate the structure of an effective censorship board. They termed the Censorship Board Act a cut and paste copy of Presidential Ordinance, 1979 introduced by Gen Ziaul Haq to curb cultural activities.

Shafeeq Gigyani, president of civil society organisation Poha Foundation, told this scribe that they had strong reservations over the Act. “The cut and paste of martial law-era text of the Act is not acceptable to anyone. We are going to invite experts on the issue next week,” he said.

The board, he said, needed serious brainstorming and experts’ opinion before its implementation. “The Act has technical flaws. No criterion for the chairman and members of the censorship board has been set. Time has changed a lot since Zia’s dictatorship,” Mr Gigyani said.

Term it cut and paste copy of Gen Zia’s presidential ordinance

Muzaffar, owner of Musafar video production house in Nishtarabad, said that he appreciated the government’s move but Copyrights Act was equally important. He said that censorship board should comprise representatives from showbiz and should provide guidelines to filmmakers and producers with a vision to promote art and culture of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Noted film star Ajab Gul during his recent visit to Peshawar had told this scribe that no Censorship Board Act would work unless a comprehensive cultural policy was in place.

“I have serious reservations about the government’s recent move. I want the culture minister to convene a dialogue including genuine artists, film producers and cultural experts to debate the issue in detail and arrive at a policy reflective of our true image. Pashto cinema has suffered a lot. Artists are literally crying as non-professionals have damaged our image,” Mr Gul said.

Senior artist Tariq Jamal said that his organisation ‘Awaz’ comprising 600 artists had welcomed the Censorship Board Act which would help to curb obscenity and violence from CDs, tele-films and Pashto movies.

Mr Jamal said that government should take artists community into account and also resolve their copyrights issue. “We welcome a censorship board in the province but it should include scholars with sound cultural background and artists. Now a comprehensive cultural policy should be enforced so as problems of artists could be addressed,” he said.

ANP lawmaker Sardar Hussain Babak said that the government seemed to be in hurry in getting serious things done. He added that their way of legislation was queer. “The government must take all stakeholders into confidence as it is a serious issue. The government should clearly define as to who will be the chairman and members of the censor board,” he said.

Provincial Minister for Culture Shah Farman presented Censorship Board (Motion Pictures) Bill in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Feb 16 which was passed by the assembly. Under the Act, the violators shall be punishable with imprisonment a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to Rs100,000, or with both and in case of continuing offence, a fine which may extend to Rs1,000,000 or with imprisonment which may extend to three years or with both.

The experts urged the government to devise a comprehensive cultural policy before setting up a censor board. “What they want to censor. If there is no clear cultural policy and no activities in the militancy-plagued province, then what purpose the censorship board will serve,” said Dr Raj Wali Shah Khattak, former director Pashto Academy.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play