MULTAN    -   Pakistani living legend and pride of performance artist, Mustafa Qureshi, urged upon govt to take real stakeholders onboard for revival of film industry in the country. “Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government should consult senior most artists who know the industry in depth for its revival,” Mustafa Qureshi said while taking to APP on Sunday. 

He suggested that Prime Minister Imran Khan should invite the artists to listen to their proposals for betterment of the industry adding that he had deliberated with former president Asif Ali Zardari too about the revival, but all in vain.  “Imran Khan is a celebrity just like us. He knows us because we had worked with him for collecting donations for Shaukat Khanum Hospital. I had asked Federal Minister, Fawad Chaudhary, in a ceremony some eight months back for arranging a meeting with prime minister in this connection.”  Mustafa Qureshi who played “Noori Natt”  in blockbuster “ Maula Jatt informed. 

To a question Mustafa Qureshi, who has over 600 films to his credit, informed that several steps could be taken for the revival of Pakistani cinema because industry is the recognition of the country world over.  To another question, the celebrated actor replied that govt should extend incentive and relief for the producers like Safdar Malik who is investing millions of rupees on making a film in these hard times as keeping in view his patriotism. 

In past, Qavi Khan, Zeba Begum, Nadeem Baig and him were members of the committee constituted for the welfare of the artists who were suffering from diseases or have rendered jobless because of stopping of film business in Lahore, Mustafa Qureshi said and added that Artists Welfare Association extended them financial assistance worth Rs 5 to 10 lac. 

“I don’t know the whereabouts of the members of the association now,”  he explained.  

 If industry revives, the jobless directors and actors would get work again which will take them out of the hardships and ailments they are facing these days, he hoped. 

Musfata Qureshi recalled that gone are the days when on average 200 films were produced annually in Lahore regretting that now hardly three to four movies are being made in a year.