Lahore: Theatres to face heavy losses under govt-imposed late-night ban

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Government says theatres across the globe close at 11pm
* Theatre producers fear losses of up to 50 percent due to imposition of time restriction

By Ali Usman
LAHORE: The Punjab government’s decision to impose an 11pm curfew on all commercial theatres has troubled the entertainment industry, as the theatre is expected to face a heavy loss due to the imposition.

The move is unprecedented, as the closing time imposed by the Punjab government had previously been the starting time of many theatres in the city. Theatre producers fear a financial crunch of up to 50 percent owing to the new curfew.

Arguments: Under the new arrangements, the first show would begin at 5.30pm, which is inconvenient for both those who attend theatrical performances and those who perform. The Home secretary and the Lahore commissioner announced the new timings a few days ago. Following the announcement, almost all theatres went on strike and a delegation led by Commercial Producers Association Chairman Chaudhry Zulfiqar held a meeting with Home Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif. The meeting proved to be futile for the theatre producers, as the government stood firm on its stance. The government argued that all theatrical performances across the world ended by 11pm. The producers argued that the local situation could not be compared to Europe, due to the completely different tastes of the people. They added that most people who regularly attended theatrical performances got off work at night, and could not watch the performances earlier.

Financial loss: The producers agreed to organise performances on Eid, but they still fear a substantial reduction in profit. Zulfiqar said that a 50 percent financial loss was expected on Eid, as people were used to attending late night theatrical performances. He admitted that the decision taken by the government was positive, adding that the producers should be given some time to implement it, as the temperament of the people could not be changed overnight. He said that around 650 people were employed with the theatres, adding that over 1,000 people could lose their jobs in the province due to the curfew. He said that the government should identify the elements that encourage vulgarity in theatre.

He said that people had invested in this field, and they wanted to run it smoothly. He said that if vulgarity could be eliminated from theatrical performances, it could become a healthy source of entertainment for the public. He said that professionals should be promoted and supported for the improvement of the theatre industry.

Information, Culture and Youth Affairs Secretary Orya Maqbool Jan said that the government would monitor theatre timings during Eid. He said that to maintain the law and order situation, these new timings had to be followed.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg13_4