KARACHI: Our families are facing hunger and all kinds of other deprivations. If other businesses are allowed to function with restrictions, why can’t the government reopen cinema houses?

This was the question raised by dozens of cinema workers who had come to the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday afternoon to inform the government of Sindh about their plight. 

Led by Arif Butt, a labourer who works for Gulistan Cinema, they gathered outside the club carrying a giant banner and chanting slogans. Talking to Dawn, Mr Butt said: “All cinema houses are closed. Our livelihoods depend on them. Cinemas in other parts of the country are open. It’s not an issue [that we can raise] with cinema owners because they will release salaries only if the cinemas are open. Now that they’re closed, we’re dying from hunger.” 

Cinema workers ask Bilawal to order reopening of movie theatres and save their starving families

The professions of those who had come to protest at the KPC ranged from gatekeepers to cooks to cinema technicians. Their request was addressed to the Sindh government who they said had ordered the shutting down of cinema businesses because of which the owners could not do anything. 

They had also brought along a press release. It read that if all other businesses can be allowed to work [complying with the standard operating procedures (SOPs)] then cinemas too can operate until 8pm. It drew the attention of the government towards the province of Punjab, where cinemas are screening films. They stressed that it’s the cinema halls where the SOPs can be strictly followed.  

The protesters argued that political rallies had been allowed to take place in Sindh in which people take part in big numbers. It is only their business that is facing closure as a result of which their families are starving.

They requested chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and the chief minister of Sindh to take the plight of cinema workers into consideration.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2020