The Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday directed the Punjab secretary Information and Culture to decide an application against ban on screening of film Joyland within 15-day after affording an opportunity of hearing to the film producers.
Joyland Trailer
The court directed the secretary to hear the stance of Joyland film producers on December 28 and pass a speaking order.
Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabir passed the orders while disposing of the petition against ban on screening of film Joyland.
During the proceedings, a law officer on behalf of the provincial government appeared and sought time for submitting a response.
At this, the court expressed serious displeasure over inaction of the Punjab government, in relation to the interim order through which the govt had suspended Punjab Censor Board’s Certificate granted for screening of the film in Punjab. The court noted that the petitioners had moved an application against the orders to the department concerned but the same had not been decided yet.
The court questioned as to why the interim order was still in operation and the government had still not heard the petitioners, producers and distributors of the film who were aggrieved by the decision.
Petitioner’s Counsel Advocate Mr Usama Khawar Ghumman apprised the court of fundamental rights of the petitioners at stake, particularly, the Freedom of Expression and Speech, and Right to Trade and Business, at stake.
Subsequently, the court disposed of the petition and ordered Punjab secretary Information and Culture to decide the application of film producers against ban on screening of the film within 15 days after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners on December 28 and pass a speaking order.
The distributor, assistant director and co-producer of film Joyland in late November had moved the petition challenging the ban imposed upon the film by the Information and Culture Department.
Joyland had initially been approved for screening throughout Pakistan by both the central and provincial film censor boards in August 2022. The Punjab government banned the release of the film in Punjab on grounds of ‘receiving complaints’, after which the producers and the production house approached the LHC.
Sania Iftikhar believes in the power of clear, straightforward writing. Her blog posts tackle everyday topics with relatable insights and easy-to-follow advice. With a conversational style, she makes complex subjects feel understandable. She’s dedicated to sharing knowledge and empowering readers to take action. Find her latest posts on trending in social.
