The United Producers Association (UPA), Actors Collective Pakistan (ACT), and Directors Guild Pakistan (DGP) have jointly opposed the government's Finance Bill 2026–27, which proposes withdrawing the advance tax on imported foreign television plays and advertisements. In a press release dated June 22, the three bodies warned that this move could undo a decade of local industry rehabilitation.
Industry Leaders Warn of Job Losses
According to the joint statement, "Pakistan’s creative economy supports thousands of professionals and their families across television, film, digital media, advertising, music, animation, post-production, and allied sectors. We cannot allow this ecosystem to be undermined." Actor Faysal Quraishi released a collaborative video with ACT on Instagram, warning that rolling back the tax would trigger immediate job loss across the board. He stated that from actors to technical crew, the livelihoods of thousands hang in the balance.
Actors Voice Concerns on Social Media
Actor Laila Zuberi expressed disappointment, noting that while she remains grateful for prior government initiatives that allowed the industry to grow, the current bill is deeply disappointing. She warned that removing the advance tax on foreign advertisements and dramas solely benefits corporate business interests. "A handful of businessmen will easily buy foreign content and program it," she said, potentially triggering a catastrophic wave of unemployment for local production crews.
Director and actor Shamoon Abbasi recalled how painstakingly the industry recovered from past crises. "It took Pakistan 10 years to re-establish our drama industry after a prior surge in the airing of foreign content," Abbasi said. He added, "Bringing back foreign content to Pakistan will destroy the actors, producers, directors, and writers once again."
Export Potential Highlighted
Actor Hina Khawaja Bayat brought a macro-economic perspective, highlighting that the true revenue potential lies in exporting Pakistani entertainment to international markets like South Africa and Vietnam, where local dramas have a built-in fanbase. "At this moment, we need jobs for our own people," she said, questioning how the government could consider replacing local content when the industry should leverage its own dramas as export commodities to generate foreign exchange.
She demanded that the government prioritize local content over imports so that the industry may thrive independently. Actor Tazeen Hussain also appealed via Instagram for the cause.
Four-Point Mandate Submitted
The UPA, ACT, and DGP formally presented a four-point mandate to the prime minister, finance minister, information minister, chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, and members of parliament. They asked for an immediate suspension and halt to the implementation of the tax withdrawal pending transparent stakeholder dialogue. The bodies demanded an immediate round-table meeting with industry representatives for an in-depth, transparent review analyzing the real financial damage the bill may cause to local workers. They also called for the establishment of a permanent, long-term national policy framework to protect indigenous art.
