Saudi Arabia, Pakistan working to enhance cooperation in filmmaking, broadcasting – information minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on Tuesday Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were working towards increasing cooperation in the fields of filmmaking and broadcasting through content sharing and joint ventures.

She made these remarks while addressing a prize distribution ceremony organized by the Saudi embassy to honor the winners of a documentary competition, which was held to mark the 70th anniversary of the meeting between Pakistan’s first president Ghulam Muhammad and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Al Saud in 1953.

The competition attracted 114 young documentary filmmakers from across Pakistan.

“It is heartening to see that this particular competition came out of my discussions in meetings with the Saudi information minister,” the minister said while addressing the ceremony.

“The Saudi embassy and the ministry of information and broadcasting chair the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council that also has a committee to carry out social and cultural projects between the two countries and to oversee the long-term partnership in terms of broadcasting and exchange of cultural values,” she added.

The minister highlighted that the partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in areas like security and economy was translating into the fields of broadcasting and filmmaking.

She noted that Pakistan had a “robust film and broadcasting policy” and pointed out that the filmmaking industry was operating at zero taxation.

“It is the right time for the two countries to partner with each other in this field,” she continued. “We can exchange content and initiate joint ventures in filmmaking between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to highlight the depth of our strategic relationship, our ideology, and culture in a more robust and engaging manner.”

“I have seen how the film industry in Saudi Arabia has grown in the last ten years,” she said. “It has become really robust and has started partnering with different countries in the region. We would also like to become an active partner with Saudi Arabia and learn from its experience.”

The minister added that Pakistan could benefit greatly by utilizing Saudi expertise in post-production of films and broadcasting.

She maintained that the celebration of seven decades of bilateral relationship through documentaries and films symbolized the engagement of youth with Pakistan’s strategic and emotional relationship with the kingdom.

The minister stated that Pakistan Television would air some of the documentaries prepared by young filmmakers in the coming days.

The Saudi envoy to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, congratulated the winners of the competition and hoped that the competition would further boost their confidence and help them in their future endeavors.

He said that Saudi Arabia paid special attention to its relations with Islamic countries, including Pakistan.

“Pakistan is one of the most important Islamic countries for Saudi Arabia and the kingdom has always stood by brotherly country Pakistan in every thick and thin since its independence in 1947,” the ambassador said.

Saudi press attaché Dr. Naif Al Otaibi informed the embassy received 114 documentaries from Pakistani filmmakers on the relations between the two countries and most of them were of good quality.

“Out of these 10 winners were chosen,” he added. “The first position holder got $2,000 while those who stood second and third earned $1,500 and $1,000, respectively. The remaining seven filmmakers received $500 each.”

Other participants of the competition received vouchers of 2,000 Saudi Riyals and free visas from the embassy to perform Umrah.