NEW DELHI – The Pakistan government is co-producing two ‘multi-million dollar’ biopics based on Zahiruddin Babar with Uzbekistan and Allama Iqbal with Iran, Pakistan Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry announced, Samaa TV reported.

“A film-making division has been established at Pakistan Television Network and currently two projects are in production,” he said. “These movies will be made on international standards.”

Another project based on Tipu Sultan is in process with a private production house, he added.

The information minister said that the government is simplifying the process to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) for film productions in the country.

PTV Films, he said, will be a platform for young filmmakers to pitch their ideas and produce movies together.

The government will fund their projects and market their films to revive Pakistani cinema.

“Pakistan has one of the most beautiful sites in the world and foreign filmmakers can easily shoot their films,” he said, the report said.

The minister vowed to open more cinema houses and shared plans in consideration to boost the industry.

“The government will offer industrial and domestic rates for the electricity consumption in cinema houses,” he said. “We have slashed several taxes from cinemas.”

The information minister said that the government has requested NCOC to open cinemas and “thankfully” they have been running across Pakistan.