LAHORE: Punjab’s Information and Culture Minister, Azma Bukhari, met with theater owners to express strong disapproval over the growing presence of vulgarity and indecency in theater performances.

During the meeting, she announced a strict decision to impose lifetime bans on actors promoting vulgar content and to cancel the licenses of theaters involved in such activities. Azma Bukhari directed the Punjab Arts Council to ensure that all theater owners provide undertakings of compliance with new standards. She also ordered the reopening of theaters that had been sealed for non-compliance with regulations, as long as they adhered to the new guidelines. The minister stressed that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision for Punjab’s theaters involves transforming them into family-friendly venues. She emphasized the need for plays that address social issues and offer valuable guidance to the public, aligning with the government’s efforts to promote moral and cultural values.Azma Bukhari also reflected on the historical significance of Punjab’s theaters, which were once globally recognized for their uniqueness. She warned that those seeking to promote obscenity in the theater scene would no longer be tolerated, emphasizing that theaters should no longer serve as platforms for vulgarity. In addition, the minister announced plans for new legislation to regulate theaters and ensure government support for family-oriented productions. She issued a final warning to theater owners, stating that violations of the new rules would lead to fines, show-cause notices, and potential license cancellations.