The Government of Punjab has announced it will be easing austerity-related timing restrictions on cinemas and Fahad Mustafa is really happy to hear it.
The actor posted a copy of the notification issued by the provincial government to his Instagram account, thanking Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for giving his fans the opportunity to watch his film Zombeid in theatres.
“People of Punjab, CM Maryam Nawaz has opened cinemas for you. Now go and watch our film,” the actor wrote in the post’s caption.
In the comments, his Zombeid costar Mehwish Hayat sent him a congratulatory GIF and the province’s ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, sent him love for appreciating the government.
On Tuesday, Mustafa posted an appeal to Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb calling for a “modest” extension in the operating hours of cinemas — which were closing at 8pm like most businesses in the province — to give people time to watch movies later in the evening.
His open letter said the austerity measures were adversely affecting newly-released films which needed “this period to reach audiences”.
Under the new regime, businesses have been divided into four categories with different timing curbs. Shops, markets, shopping malls and bazaars will be the earliest to close at 9pm, with marriage halls, marquees and ceremonial spaces next to shut their doors at 10pm.
Restaurants, cafes, cinemas, eateries and standalone fruit and vegetable shops will close at 11pm under the new schedule and a number of businesses — bakeries, tandoors, milk shops, fuel pumps, CNG stations, electrical vehicle charging stations, gyms, sports facilities, padel courts, IT companies and call centres — will be exempt from these austerity measures entirely.
Hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, pharmacies, medical and medical supply stores will similarly be exempt owing to their essential nature.
