UPA welcomes tax on foreign drama and movies

Lahore: The United Producer Association (UPA) of Pakistan, duly recognized
by the Government of Pakistan as the sole trade body representing the television producers, announced here today that it welcomes the decision of the Government of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif in proposing an advance tax of Rs. 100,000 per episode on all foreign content being broadcast by the Pakistani channels.

It may be noted that UPA has been fighting against the flood of cheap foreign re?run content that was being imported by channels without any tax or levies and presented to potentially destroy the local television producers.

In its endeavors, UPA had knocked on various governmental bodies during the tenure of the previous government but no heed was paid towards the fledgling
industry by either PEMRA or the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

UPA also hopes that the present government will not come under the influence of “MEDIA MAFIA”, who want to flood the airwaves with the foreign content.