LAHORE, Dec 6: Talks between commercial theatre producers and the government on the issue of theatre timings remain futile.

Theatre organisers have been on strike for the last nine days bringing 120 commercial theatres to closure on the issue of timings. Even though theatre producers met the home secretary and the Lahore commissioner to resolve the issue, the deadlock, however, persists.

Commercial theatre begins activity at 11:30pm as, what they say, their audience, mostly traders, close their own businesses by 10pm. The government dictation that the drama must begin at or before 8pm is not feasible for the industry, they say. The government, however, is adamant to buckle commercial theatre under the new timings on the plea that all over the world theatrical performances get closed by 11pm.

Chaudhry Zulfiqar, Commer-cial Producers Association chairman, told Dawn their meetings with Home Secretary Nadeem Hasan Asif and Commissioner Khusru Pervez on Friday went without any breakthrough. He asked why the government did not change cinema timings as film shows also continued till late night. He said how come the government had suddenly decided to change theatre timings without giving enough time to the stakeholders. He said he had failed to understand why the government had changed timings. According to him, even government officials failed to explain the reason for changing timings except that the world over theatre began early in the night and finished before the late hourst.

He said new timings would badly affect theatre business as it would cut the number of audience.

Entertainment circles say the government changed timings because of ever-increasing street crime. They said the decision came as an aftermath of explosions at World Performing Arts Festival at Alhamra Cultural Complex.

Chaudhry Zulfiqar said theatres would resume the business on Eidul Azha as people associated with the theatre had to do something for their bread and butter. He said though theatre would be back to life on Eid but negotiations with government on timings issue would continue.

“The government may agree on timings such as 10pm to 12 for we have requested the government to reconsider its decision,” he added.

Secretary Information and Culture Oriya Maqbool Jan repeated the government version that all over the world theatre started early in the evening and finished early. He said the government wanted to promote healthy and meaningful theatre.