Show-cause notices issued to 14 stage actresses over ‘vulgarly performances’.
14 stage actresses have received show-cause notices from the Punjab Home Department for allegedly giving “explicit and indecent performances” at for-profit theatres.
The Punjab government has started strict supervision of commercial theatres as part of a strategy to prohibit such performances.
Mehak Butt, Komal Chaudhry, Qismat Shahzadi, Nayab Khan, Sheela Chaudhry, Ayan Akhtar, Sonu Butt, Khushboo Khan, Roshani Khan, Kajal Chaudhry, Sara Khan, Mahnoor, Jia Butt, and Tabassum Khan are the theatre actresses who have received these notices.
These actresses have been instructed to provide an explanation of why their performances ought not to be banned under the Dramatic Performances Act of 1876 within the next seven days.
Nine of these actresses have not responded after the notices were delivered on August 9.
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Two actresses, Shama Rana, and Payal Chaudhry, have also been the target of legal proceedings, but they were given pre-arrest bail.
The Punjab Information and Culture Department has taken the initiative to form committees to carefully watch stage performances at the 12 government-operated theatres operating under the auspices of the Punjab Arts Council in light of instances of inappropriate dances seen at the Alhamra Hall.
Saleem Sagar, the executive director of the Lahore Arts Council (LAC), has recently been fired.
Sagar had been accused of corruption, and while he was in charge, several graphic performances happened in the government-run theatre at the Alhamra Arts Centre.
The home department is now thinking of bringing FIRs against the operators of commercial theatres and the indecent-acting stage girls.
As a result, Punjab might impose a restriction on some actresses’ performances.
