Federal minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day Youth Cultural Fair under the auspices of Lok Virsa (Folk Heritage) here today said that democracy and creative expressions had profound relationship and the absence of democracy in the country for 30-35 years had silenced the arts and artists which also adversely affected the culture of the country.
The minister said that Pakistan was a trustee of one of the greatest cultural heritage. She said that immediately after assuming the responsibility as minister in charge of the Ministry of Information she initiated efforts for revival of culture and the film industry and had been able to give the country its first ever film and cultural policy which would also be included in the federal budget for the year 2018-19.
Marriyum said that film was the only medium which could be effectively utilized to portray Pakistan in a positive light at the global level. She said that Pakistani films would soon be screened in the Chinese cinemas .She said that similarly that content would also make its way the countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey Egypt and other countries.
Marriyum told the audience that during the 60-70 Pakistan film industry was ranked as the third largest and vibrant entity in the world. She said that Pakistan was presently confronted with a culture of intolerance adding that until and unless a culture of respecting differing opinions did not take root in the society it would be hard to come together as one nation.
She said that culture and cultural heritage was the identity of Pakistanis all over the world. Marriyum observed that the foreign film content also badly affected our culture. She said that the entire nation and the valiant armed forces had given sacrifices of their children in the fight against terrorism and lit the lights of peace with their blood due to which Pakistan was now being acknowledged as peaceful country.