LAHORE: Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari has said that transformative steps have been initiated to revive Punjab’s film industry.

She stated that measures are being implemented to restore the long-declining film industry and put it back on its feet. For the first time in Punjab’s history, a substantial fund of Rs2 billion has been allocated for the revival of the sector.

Sharing details of key initiatives, she revealed that work has commenced on a world-class “Lahore Film City” built to universal standards. The project will include state-of-the-art laboratories, enabling filmmakers to carry out editing and post-production locally, eliminating the need to travel abroad.

Following a rigorous scrutiny process, 32 individuals have been selected for film production. Each filmmaker will receive Rs30 million per film. An initial amount of Rs15m will be released at the script submission stage, while the remaining funds will be disbursed upon completion of the film. Selected filmmakers will be given one year to complete their projects.

She further stated that to encourage the film industry, the government has decided to provide an additional incentive: filmmakers will receive a 25 per cent bonus based on their film’s box office earnings.

Applications from new filmmakers will be invited in the upcoming fiscal year starting in June. Additionally, five exceptionally talented young individuals will be provided with special funding for film projects.

The minister also announced that, to reduce electricity costs and provide relief to cinema owners, cinemas will be transitioned to solar energy systems.

Azma Bokhari emphasised that these initiatives aim to promote creativity in Punjab and enable the local film industry to compete at the international level.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed concern over unregulated traffic trends and has set a target to ensure strict adherence to lane discipline across major cities, including Lahore.

Chairing a special meeting, she directed developing major roads into model traffic corridors and asked the authorities to ensure immediate improvements in traffic management.

She ordered strict enforcement of lane and line discipline, elimination of roadside parking, and zero tolerance against violations such as one-way breaches.

The CM also directed that an extensive public awareness campaign be launched to educate citizens about lane discipline carrying out monitoring through cameras installed on traffic police vehicles.

Taking notice of zigzag driving, she ordered that motorcycles involved in such violations be impounded at police stations for three days. The chief minister assigned the Lahore chief traffic officer (CTO) the task of bringing about visible improvement in the city’s traffic system.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026