The Senate Function Committee on Human Rights has stopped the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) from screening the film Zindagi Tamasha and according to CII Chairman Dr.Qibla Ayaz the council will not resist the committee’s decision over the issue.
“It has come to our knowledge that the Senate Function Committee on Human Rights has bared us from reviewing the film. We have no objection over this decision. In case the committee wants us to play a role in deciding the fate of the film, we will gladly offer our assistance. But we wont object if they don’t take us into the loop. Earlier on we were told to review the film but we were yet to do it,” the chairman told the Express Tribune.
After an in camera session held to discuss the fate of Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha, the Senate Function Committee on Human Rights CII was barred from reviewing the film and the Central Board of Film Censors directed to provide a copy of the film for screening.
The session was chaired by PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and received briefing from officials of the central and provincial censor boards.
“A screening of the film will be arranged on March 16. The panel will decide if the film needs to be sent to the CII for approval. If we do not find the film objectionable, orders will be given for the film’s immediate release,” said Khokhar.
According to Khokhar only the parliament has the authority to refer matters to the CII and no ministry can consult the advisory body on its own. “The law defines this in clear terms. Going by the details provided in the in-camera briefing, there appears to be nothing objectionable in the film,” he added further.
