Central Board of Film Censors

The Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC; Urdu: مرکزی ہیئت برائے ضوابطِ فلم) is a film censorship board and rating system body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for the Government of Pakistan. Since the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan its jurisdiction has been limited to Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Cantonments, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan; with separate censor boards for Punjab (Punjab Film Censor Board, PFCB) and Sindh (Sindh Board of Film Censors, SBFC) headquartered in Lahore and Karachi respectively.[1][2] Though the CBFC maintains an unofficial dominant position over the latter boards.[2]

This article is about the Pakistani film censorship board. For the Indian counterpart previously known by this name until 1983, see Central Board of Film Certification. For other uses, see CBFC.

Central Board of Film Censors
Punjab Film Censor Board
Sindh Board of Film Censors
Formation1963 (1963)[1]
PurposeFilm Certification
HeadquartersCentral: Islamabad
Punjab: Lahore
Sindh: Karachi
Region served
Central:

Punjab: Punjab
Sindh: Sindh
Parent organisation
Central: Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Punjab: Government of Punjab
Sindh: Government of Sindh

These boards are tasked with regulating the public screening of films under the provisions of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979.

Function

The Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979 focuses upon a broad policy framework and administrative procedures for the certification of films for public screening.[3] The film censorship code covers wide aspects of "morals and ethnics" which lays down the guiding principles for cinema in Pakistan. Strict policy has been adopted to ensure that no scene or dialogue in a film is passed which is considered "derogatory to the accepted moral standards of the society". Certifications is refused if, in the opinion of the board, the film or any part thereof:

  1. ridicules, disparages or attacks Islam or any religious sect, caste and creed.
  2. questions the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan or hurts national sentiments.
  3. undermines public order, decency or morality, which includes vulgar dialogues, songs, or gestures.
  4. glorifies vice or crime or amounts to incitement of a criminal offense.

Any film refused certification may appeal within thirty days of the date of refusal.

Certification

CBFC
  • U: Any film with U certification is fit for unrestricted public screening and without the need for parental guidance. These films contain little violence, no sexual scenes and no abusive language.
  • F: Family (akin to U above)
  • PG: Akin to U/A
  • A: Any film with A certification is restricted to adults or needs parental guidance for viewing. These films contain significant violence, sexual scenes and abusive language and can include controversial adult themes considered unsuitable for young viewers.

SBFC
  • U: Universal, approved for general audiences
  • PG: Parental Guidance
  • PG-13: Parents Cautioned
  • PG-15: Suitable for 15 years and older
  • 18+: For Adults only

Source: Jawaid, Mohammad Kamran (4 November 2018). "Spotlight: A House Divided". Dawn.

Chairperson
#NameFromTo
1Anwar Hussain19631972
2Aslam Siddiqui19721973
3Jalalud Din19731973
4Syed Abid Ali19731974
5M M H Peerzada19741976
6Syed Sajjad Haider Jillani19761977
7Anwar Abbas Ansari19771982
8Safdar Mahmood19821986
9Abdur Rasheed19861988
10Syed Sajjad Haider Jillani19881994
11Jamal Khan Jogezai19941996
12Malik Yasrab19961998
13Malik Mohammad Rafique19982001
14Abbas Khan20012003
15Ziauddin20032006
16Ejaz Illahi Paracha20062006
17Azfar Shafquat20062008
18Malik Shahnawaz Noon20082012
19Muhammad Ashraf Gondal20122013
20Raja Mustafa Hyder20132014
21Mobashir Hasan20142018
22Danyal Gilani20182020
23M. Arshad Munir20202022
24Muhammad Tahir Hassan2022Present

See also

References
  1. Jawaid, Mohammad Kamran (4 November 2018). "Spotlight: A House Divided". Dawn. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  2. "To Screen or Not to Screen". Newsline. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  3. "THE MOTION PICTURES ORDINANCE, 1979" (PDF). Wipo.int. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
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