KARACHI: The opening ceremony of the Pakistan International Film Festival was held at the Karachi Film School, with Sindh鈥檚 Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, attending as the chief guest.
Upon his arrival, he was warmly welcomed by the President of the Film Festival, Sultana Siddiqui, the organizers, and prominent figures from the media and entertainment industry. Films from several countries, including Pakistan, China, and Germany, will be screened at the festival.
On the occasion, an important dialogue on Intellectual Property Rights in the film industry was also organized.
Addressing the ceremony, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that, unfortunately, both society and successive governments have consistently overlooked the critical issue of intellectual property rights. He emphasized that existing laws in this regard must be enforced more strictly. He noted that when the copyrights of creative works are not protected, they are easily stolen, which demoralizes artists and creators.
Sharjeel Memon said that intellectual property rights should be included in the curriculum to raise awareness among children and youth about the importance of protecting ideas and creative works. He added that the Sindh government began efforts last year to support filmmaking, and filmmakers are being encouraged to promote Pakistan鈥檚 national narrative across the globe.
Sultana Siddiqui said that the youth need to be trained in new technologies and the field of filmmaking so they can fully express their creative talents. She added that the participation of key industry figures in the film society is encouraging, and through films, we can present our national narrative to the world. She also praised the Pakistani media for showing commendable restraint during the recent Pakistan-India tensions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025