ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday that the establishment of the National Film Production Institute will prove helpful in the promotion of filmmaking in the country.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of PTV’s National Film Production Institute here, she said she was glad to see that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of a training institute for film production was going to become a reality.
She said that due to their historic contribution, Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan had heritage value in the history of the electronic media industry of the country.
The minister said that unfortunately in the recent past film making had been reduced to only one class. However, she said it was a good sign that the filmmaking trend in private TV channels was increasing.
She said the objective of National Film, Culture Policy 2018, revived by the present government last year, was not only to revive films but also to promote Pakistan’s narrative all over the world through screen tourism.
The minister said PTV Film Institute launched with the integration of the Information Services Academy, PTV and Radio Academy at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as part of Pakistan’s First Film Policy.
She said a historic milestone has been achieved with the launch of PTV Film Institute.
Marriyum said the integration of ISA, PTV and Radio Academy marked the implementation of her goal to launch the world-class Centre of Excellence for media, broadcasting, films, acting, training and capacity building which was open and accessible to all across Pakistan especially youth.
“The initiative is very close to my heart,” she added.
The minister said the study programs would consist of academics coupled with practical training using the media equipment and facilities at PTV and Radio Pakistan.
“The Academy will not only be opened to new inductees and employees of the Information Ministry, PTV and Radio Pakistan, but also students and youth across Pakistan will be able to enroll for courses including summer school at the Academy,” she remarked.
She congratulated and thanked the teams at the Information Ministry, PTV and Radio Pakistan, who had worked tirelessly to make the launch of the PTV Film Institute a reality.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that in film policy 2018, entertainment was given the status of the industry and given tax amnesty.
She said that in the film policy, attention has also been paid to restoring the cinema houses in the country which were demolished when the industry deteriorated in the 1990s.
The establishment of the Film Institute, she continued was part of the vision of the development of this sector.
“Due to our initiatives, recent films have done good business both at the local at the global level,” the minister remarked.
“As far as electronic media is concerned, the PTV and Radio Pakistan have the biggest infrastructure,” she said adding that steps were being taken to utilise that infrastructure for the betterment of the entertainment industry.
The minister said that PTV Academy should also create awareness among the children about the Constitution, democracy, and politics as well.
Earlier Marriyum Aurangzeb inaugurated the National Film Production Institute.
Secretary Information and Managing Director PTV Sohail Ali Khan and senior officers for the MoIB and PTV attended the ceremony.
