In a strong stance against lewdness and obscenity, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa of the Lahore Division, which includes the city of Lahore, has ordered the closure of all theatres in the Lahore Division.
There will be no reopening of the theatres in Sheikhpura, Nankana Sahib, or Kasur at this time.
Last night, unannounced, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa went to a number of local theatres to check out productions with music and dialogue that he found morally offensive.
Commissioner Randhawa told the media that plays with such objectionable content have no place in a society established on ethics and morals.
The administration of the theatre has previously held talks with the government on the introduction of regulations and guidelines for the running of theatrical productions.
There would be no racy dramas released, as promised by the theatre owners and companies.
Despite contradictory accounts, Commissioner Lahore maintained that he had personally visited many cinemas.
Dangerous sexual content, crude language, and inappropriate dances were all staples of these shows.
This has led to the commissioner of the Lahore Division, which includes the city of Lahore, ordering the closure of all theatres in the area immediately.
Drama is encouraged by the government and the administration, but profanity and vulgarity are not.
The commissioner explained that cinemas would continue to be shut down until owners and groups stopped engaging in illegal activity.
The theatres themselves must uphold values of honesty and decency, while the shows themselves must be of the highest possible quality and cultural significance.
The theatre owners and producers have betrayed the public’s trust by engaging in illegal operations.
As a result, more than ten well-known commercial theatres in the Lahore Division have been sealed for breaking the drama act. The modifications to the drama legislation are required before these theatres can reopen.
More than ten big commercial cinemas in Lahore Division have been sealed for violating the play act, according to Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Aamir Mir, who spoke with the media. After the implementation of the new rules, these theatres will be able to reopen.
Theatre owners and producers, Aamir Mir said, have been cautioned multiple times to follow the standards of the drama act and have given written pledges that they will not promote obscenity through dirty dances.
However, the recent raids on these theatres revealed that the performances were in violation of the drama act, prompting the government to temporarily close them.
He went on to say that the Punjab government proposed the new changes to the theatrical act.
Once these revisions are finalised and put into effect, only then will theatres showing explicit dances be allowed to reopen.
Aamir Mir stressed the importance of keeping an eye out for and taking swift action against culturally insensitive shows in other cities of Punjab. Even though Section Officer of Police Dr. Arslan Gondal issued warning warnings to all performers, the offensive shows continued.
The Punjab Arts Council filed a formal complaint, prompting the issuance of these Shaukaz warnings.
