Daily Times

PESHAWAR – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Thursday offered to permit the screening of recently banned film ‘Maalik’ in the province but the federal censor board hit back with a warning promising strict action against cinemas violating the Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979.

Pakhtunkhwa Adviser on Information Mushtaq Ghani feels the film should be shown in the entire country.

“The filmmaker has made an effort to address corruption but the government has taken action against it and banned it. We have zero-tolerance for corruption here,” he said, adding that after the 18th Amendment, censorship falls under the provinces.

“The government is against corruption, that’s why KP has no objection to the film. If the producer comes to KP and asks to show the film in cinemas, we will facilitate them,” Ghani told reporters.

Federal censor board chairman Mubashir Khan, however, pointed out that almost all cinemas in KP are located in cantonment areas, thereby falling under the Motion Picture Ordinance 1979. He said that strict action would be taken under the ordinance against cinemas that screened the banned film.

Khan said the film was banned to avoid a law and order situation in the country following public complaints.

The federal government banned the film nationwide in a notification issued Wednesday, declaring the Urdu feature film “uncertified” according to Section 9 of the Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979.

Read: Govt bans ‘Maalik’ across Pakistan