By Our Staff Reporter
Islamabad: The rise of the creative industries presents significant opportunities for transforming youthful energy into new ideas, organization, and a future vision for societies. The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting appreciated the initiatives of RINSTRA and showed great interest in collaboration to uplift film, culture and heritage, drama, and fine arts in promoting the country’s creative potential at both international as well as regional levels.
A press note issued from the office of RINSTRA quoted the Minister as saying, “providing quality arts education can help the young population gain skills and attributes that are currently in high demand, such as problem-solving, flexibility, persistence, and cooperation.
The Minister appreciated the efforts of RINSTRA and expressed her desire that the Pakistan Television Corp. should work with RINSTRA for digital initiatives. In this regard, multiple national video and music competitions would be planned.
She also asked RINSTRA to train the PTV employees for digital content creation through mobile phones, including mobile journalism and mobile filmmaking.
Amir Jahangir, CEO of RINSTRA briefed the Minister that RINSTRA is Pakistan’s first short-form video platform for emerging storytellers and filmmakers. He said, “it is the only platform for Pakistanis to showcase and express their content through a user-generated approach”. He further said that RINSTRA is working with more than 60 universities across Pakistan to create opportunities for young people to explore, create, showcase, and monetize the creative economy. RINSTRA is working in collaboration with academia, industry, and civil society to kickstart a new creative economy of USD 150 million that can generate a livelihood for more than 400,000 content creators in the next three years.
With the changing content consumption patterns, young people are particularly adept at accessing information and content through digital platforms, as they are at using digital apps and content for these platforms. With expanding online networks and digital technologies, creativity has become an increasingly popular way for youth to express themselves which helps to foster social cohesion. There is a need to equip youth with the skills and techniques to run creative enterprises and help them in developing artistic-creative skills by integrating culture into education systems.
The Finance Bill 2022 has proposed a five years’ tax holiday for film procedures, and established new Cinema houses, production houses, film museums, and tax rebates on the export of film and drama for ten years, as well as producers’ income is exempted from Income Tax.
Eight percent withholding tax on distributors and producers has also been withdrawn. The import of machinery, equipment, and other items shall be exempt from Customs Duty for five years. Finance Bill 2018 and Customs Act, 1969 is being amended through Finance Bill 2022 to introduce zero% sale tax and entertainment duty on the import of equipment for film and drama. Because of these measures, Pakistan’s film industry will be rejuvenated whereas Pakistan’s severed relationship with international media will be restored. Encouragement of new talent will provide career opportunities to youth in the film industry.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is working on a mission to inform, educate and entertain the people and to the Projection and promotion of Government policies and programs as well as the soft, progressive, and democratic image of Pakistan. MOIB is playing a vital role in creating an informed society and promoting national cohesion and media development.
