PESHAWAR: Taking notice of stepmotherly attitude of the federal government towards Pashto film industry, senior Pashto film director/producer Arshad Khan on Sunday rejected a special package announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for revival of film industry.

He said that Pak Pashto Films Association (PPFA) had not been taken into confidence during consultations held in Karachi in May on the revival of film industry.

Talking to this correspondent at his office here, he said that he was chief of PPFA founded many years ago.

He was flanked by script writer Darwaish Khan and film director Saeed Takalai.

Pashto film director says no one from KP invited to consultations

Mr Arshad said that he came to know through media regarding the prime minister’s special package for revival of film industry in line with recommendations forwarded by participants of a two-day consultation sessions convened under the auspices of federal ministry of information, broadcasting and national heritage in Karachi on May 5 and 6, 2017.

He demanded of the KP government to take notice of the stepmotherly attitude of the federal government towards Pashto film industry.

He said that not a single representative of the Pashto film industry was invited to the consultation meetings despite being a major stakeholder of the entertainment industry since early 70s.

“Our organisation rejects the PM’s special package for the film industry. Neither the ministry nor the PM House had contacted us for participating at such an important event,” he regretted.

The film director said that according to media reports so-called film producers and directors were invited to the consultation sessions who had not produced a single film over decades.

He said that the Pashto film industry-related artists were also ignored by the KP government in its stipend scheme.

“About 80 per cent of artists and scriptwriters of Pashto film industry were not given monthly stipend by the KP culture department as most had moved from KP to Punjab, but the Punjab government also ignored them,” Mr Arshad added.

Darwaish Khan said that Pashto films had a fewer screening stations owing to rapid razing of cinema houses in KP and also through a planned conspiracy its screening was stopped in Kabul five years ago.

“If this trend continues, cinema culture in KP will soon die its ultimate death,” he regretted. Saeed Takalai, another film director, said that Pashto film industry had been reeling under the burden heavy taxes.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2017