Lahore, August 25, 2023 — The Punjab caretaker government has made a decisive move by sealing all theatres in the Lahore division on Friday. The province’s information minister, Amir Mir, revealed in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) that this step was taken due to the persistent presence of vulgar dances and explicit performances in stage dramas, despite repeated warnings and notices issued earlier.
The decision to clamp down on the theatres comes after concerns were raised about the increasing level of indecency in performances. Amir Mir emphasized that the responsibility of monitoring stage plays has now been handed over to the Arts Council. Additionally, he announced a complete ban on dancers, signaling a strong stance against the objectionable content.
The recent action was executed by a dedicated team that conducted a late-night raid on the theatres located in Lahore, Sheikhupura, and Kasur. The sealing of these venues is expected to serve as a strict reminder to all stakeholders in the entertainment industry to uphold decorum and respect community standards.
This move follows a proactive measure taken by the Punjab Arts Council just last week, where they formed twelve monitoring teams to keep a close watch on theatres across the province. Caretaker Culture Minister Amir Mir further elaborated on the consequences for those involved in promoting obscenity. He stated that stage dancers who engage in indecent acts will face bans ranging from five to ten years, while producers of such inappropriate content will face a lifetime ban.
Notably, several actresses have already been issued show-cause notices for their involvement in objectionable performances. The list includes Mehak Butt, Komal Chaudhry, Qismat Shahzadi, Nayab Khan, Sheela Chaudhry, Ayan Akhtar, Sonu Butt, Khushboo Khan, Roshani Khan, Kajal Chaudhry, Sara Khan, Mahnoor, Jia Butt, and Tabassum Khan.
Read more: Punjab authorities grant permission for screening of ‘Barbie’ in province
As the government takes this significant step to curb indecency in the entertainment sector, it remains to be seen how these measures will shape the future of theatre and stage performances in the Lahore division.
