PESHAWAR, Nov 30: The Telefilm Makers Association has urged the government to enforce laws to put a brake on the business of pirated films in the local market. The demand was made by the president of the association, Sherdil Khan, on the occasion of an awards ceremony.

The event was organized by the Shan Arts Council in which singers, stage performers and comedians enthralled the audience.

The association’s chief said there were about 30 telefilm makers in Peshawar who produced about 50 telefilms a month. The cost of one film came to Rs350,000 and took at least 10 days for release.

“Markets get flooded with pirated CDs of telefilms the day we release a new film. This has been adversely affecting our business,” he said, adding that some 200 actors earned a living from the industry.

Awards were given to Tariq Jamal, Hanif Baloch, Nadia Khan, Tawab Sarhadi, Nazar Mohammad, Ismail Shahid, Siraj Akbar, Khalida Yasmeen, Israr Bacha, and Alamzeb Mujahid for their performances.

Secretary of the Shan Arts Council Sajjad Khalil said that the artiste community, which provided entertainment to people, were themselves faced with a host of problems.

Telefilms, he said, had come of age, “which can be judged from the fact that these films are watched by people with families”.

President of Artistes Welfare Association Zoom (Awaz), Tariq Jamal, claimed that they had given a new dimension to telefilms, a reason why they had a great demand in the UAE, Malaysia and other countries where the Pakhtuns lived.

He criticised the PTV for its “step-motherly attitude” with artistes and alleged that only the blue-eyed people were given chance in PTV programmes, while professional artistes were ignored.

“Our competition is with Indian films, because PTV is way behind as far as production of top quality programmes is concerned,” he said, adding that the government should sit with artistes to find a solution to the problem of piracy in the province.

Noted comedian Alamzeb Mujahid said that the culture of telefilms began in the Frontier following a ban on cultural activities at the Nishtar Hall which had compelled scores of artistes to migrate to Lahore and Karachi. Some stage performers and artistes stayed back and started telefilm production, he added.

“It has now assumed the status of an industry,” he said.

He alleged that the first-ever Pushto language channel — AVT Khyber – had failed to produce good drama, because of its preoccupation with musical programmes.