Sindh province has barred filming of child actors during school hours and late at night, according to an ordinance passed last week, which was praised by parents and child actors on Monday for safeguarding education.
Pakistan’s thriving entertainment industry regularly features a considerable number of school-going children acting in dramas and television commercials.
There was a lack of definition of working hours for actors below the age of 18, according to Dr. Junaid Ali Shah, the Sindh caretaker minister for culture.
The Sindh Children Drama Industry Ordinance 2023, promulgated by the provincial governor on Dec. 25, addresses the issue by defining working hours for child actors.
“We have defined their working hours as some producers would call them on shoots late at night,” Shah said in a video message.
The law, with its stated aim to “safeguard the educational rights and well-being of children,” emphasizes the importance of a child’s education and ensures their academic pursuits are not compromised by their involvement in dramatic performances.
“No child shall be permitted to participate in any dramatic performance during school timings,” the ordinance reads, explicitly prohibiting educational institutions from granting permission or endorsing any student’s involvement in dramatic performances during school hours.
Muhammad Naveed, father of child actor Shiza Naveed, said while he had been allowing his daughter to participate in projects only on weekends, he acknowledged the significance of the ordinance.
“We appreciate the ordinance,” he told Arab News on Monday. “It aims to protect the children’s right to education as top priority.”
Muhammad Afzal, father of another child actor Hamad Afzal, appreciated the new law for recognizing the importance of education by safeguarding school hours for children.
“As the parent of a child actor like Hamad Afzal, this ordinance feels like a significant step in the right direction,” Afzal said.
He appreciated the ordinance for acknowledging royalty rights for children for their contributions to various projects.
“This balance is crucial in supporting their holistic development and acknowledging their hard work in the entertainment and media industry,” Afzal told Arab News.
Khursheed Hyder, an official working with Pakistani entertainment channel HUM TV, appreciated the promulgation of the ordinance, saying her channel had already adopted a policy prioritizing children’s education.
“Our policy suits everyone, and it does not disrupt the education of children. We understand that children go to school, and the timing 8am to 2pm,” she told Arab News.
“Therefore, we have been scheduling according to those timings to ensure that their education is not affected.”
Afzal, the child actor, expressed happiness over the ordinance.
“This means I can wholeheartedly dedicate myself to both my education and school without any hindrance,” he told Arab News.
“I am thrilled to pursue my passion for acting while adeptly managing a harmonious work-life balance.”
