Pakistan: Minister who ridiculed stage actress now bans 'vulgar' film posters in Punjab province

About a popular stage show actress, Chohan had earlier said that if it was in his power he would have made her a 'haji'.

Image courtesy: Twitter/@Fayazchohanpti

New Delhi: Launching a crackdown on “indecent” and “vulgar” movie posters, the Information Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, on Thursday ordered a province-wide ban on such posters. As per reports in Dawn News, the minister has ordered ban on all vulgar and indecent film posters displayed inside or outside theatres. He also warned that if any theatre is found violating the order it will be fined first, after subsequent violation, the theater will be shut down. The minister took to Twitter to share an official notification. Which read: “It has been observed that indecent signboards within and outside the Cinema Halls and at different places have been displayed throughout the province of Punjab”. It further read: “I would like to request that immediate action may be taken  for the removal of such vulgar/indecent film sign boards under Indecent Advertisement Probation Act 1993 and Punjab Motion Picture Ordinance 1979”.

صاف ستھری ٹقافت کی طرف پہلا قدم۔۔!!!! پنجاب کے سینماوں پر فحش اور عریاں بورڈوں کے خلاف کریک ڈاون۔۔!!!@zemtv @PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/Hgd6ZUcnNO

— Fayazulhasan chohan (@Fayazchohanpti) August 30, 2018

However the terms vulgar and indecent lack a clear definition in the notification. Chohan had recently vented out his displeasure over contemporary film posters. Dawn quoted him as saying “Yani yeh wakhri jawani hai jo cinema houses pay ai hui hai, (this is a strange youthfulness that's taken over cinema houses). Is this civilised? That you print out pictures of half naked women and put up huge posters of them? People watch porn for that kind of entertainment." He had also fired a salvo at stage shows and hitting out at a popular former stage show actress he said: “he would have made her a haji (someone who has completed the religious pilgrimage) if it was in his power”, Dawn reported. He had reportedly said that not only Indian content, but what Pakistani films and stage shows portray that has led towards the decline of the industry. The former actress Nargis, who was singled out during Chohan’s speech, had told Geo News that the minister should chose his word wisely and that all citizens are respectable and have the rights to pursue legal action.