A number of film and television artists in Karachi recently criticised what they termed as the government’s indifference to their fields, and the resultant stagnation of associated professions.

They have raised a pertinent point, though the unresponsiveness of official quarters should be blamed on the state rather than on any one government. Decades of apathy towards the creative and performing arts have taken their toll: film, which really was an industry once, barely merits the description while quality theatre work is rarely seen or supported by the government.

Even entertainment television, despite the remarkable expansion it experienced over the past decade, is mainly being run in the private sector with hardly any incentives from the state. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the people in these professions are at the mercy of corporations, an unpredictable market and an uncertain economic clime. The issues range from the non-payment of fees, hazy copyright laws and the lack of intellectual property rights to piracy, high taxation rates, the dearth of quality equipment and an insufficiently trained workforce.

This is an unsustainable situation, yet it can be remedied. What is primarily required is political will. State and society must recognise and stress that the creative and performing arts are a vital component of national culture, and have an indispensable role to play in the formation and understanding of the national identity.

Meanwhile, these fields represent the livelihoods of thousands of citizens and generate revenue for the government. Yet the state has historically taken an ad hoc approach towards film, television and theatre; the few efforts to improve these sectors’ performance have been piecemeal and sporadic.

It is time that a cohesive policy was formulated with a view to building up these fields by providing incentives, financial grants and institutional support, while also regulating and mainstreaming professions associated with them.