PESHAWAR, Jan 9: Pushto filmmakers have requested the government to help them in exploring markets for their films in Afghanistan and the UAE. Speaking at a press conference in connection with the launching of Pushto film "Sta Muhabat Zama Saza Shwa" here on Tuesday, veteran actor Asif Khan said that most of the filmgoers in Peshawar came from Kabul and Jalalabad.

He urged the government to take up the issue with the authorities in Kabul so that they could exhibit their films in cinema halls there. He rejected assertions that Pushto films contained objectionable scenes, saying that people could watch them with their families.

A few years back, the UAE authorities had banned Pushto films that caused a big setback for the industry, he added.

Lauding the NWFP government's decision of banning the screening of vulgar films in cinemas, he said the move had improved the quality of films. "The cinemas are regaining their past glory," said Mr Khan.

He said that four Pushto films had been released on Eidul Azha, with all doing good business. Likewise, four Punjabi films released on Eid had proved a total failure.

About the new film, the first to be made under the direction of Arbaz Khan, he said the people now liked action films with good music and powerful script.

He said that good photography and outdoor locations would help add to the popularity of films.

Speaking on the occasion, Arbaz Khan said they wanted government's assistance in establishing modern studios in the NWFP because the filmmakers had to go to Lahore to record music and dialogues which increased the budget of films.

"It cost four million rupees to produce a Pushto film, besides a host of taxes. A cinema owner paid Rs700,000 as tax to the government annually, and a producer paid Rs25,000 to the censor board for each film, but they got no incentive from the government," he said.

Arbaz Khan said the Pushto filmmakers were not taking the risk of making a movie since they were not even sure of the recovery of expenditure on films, leave alone the profit.