The Pakistan government will announce a new film policy next month abolishing all major taxes on movies, a senior minister said.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to revive the country’s film industry, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said drama and film businesses will get special benefits.

"New film policy will be announced next month. All major taxes on films will be abolished. Likewise, dramas and film businesses will get special benefits. Hope new film policy will go a long way to revive the Pakistani Film industry," Fawad said on his Twitter handle.

The decision was welcomed by the who's who of the Pakistani film industry, Tribune reported.

Mahira Khan, Fahad Mustafa, filmmakers Fizza Ali Meerza, Nabeel Qureshi, and others lauded the initiative.

"This is huge! I hope this actually happens. InshAllah," actress Mahira Khan wrote on Twitter.

"This is good news. Looking forward to the betterment of the industry overall," added Mustafa.

The Pakistan Tahreek-e Insaf government has taken multiple initiatives like tax concessions and easing the process of obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) for filmmakers to boost the industry.

Fawad said the government was encouraging the export of Pakistani films and underlined the need to enhance cooperation and collaboration in that regard with Saudi Arabia and China.

(SAM)