Pakistan’s first-ever music policy draft prepared

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday announced finalisation of Pakistan’s first-ever music policy draft, “which would ultimately prove to be big news for the industry”, ARY News reported.

In a statement, the information minister said that the new policy incentives and initiatives would eventually boost the music industry since they would effectively redress piracy, copyrights and other pertinent issues.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said the music policy had been prepared in accordance with international standards and also considering the relevant laws in vogue in the neighbouring countries.

She said the artists’ public performance, production, distribution, adaptation, duration, and mechanical and communication rights were also brought into legal framework through the policy.

Through such measures, the problem of users and licensees would also be solved, which would give a boost to the music industry, she added.

The minister said the end of monopoly, the basic legal rights of music industry workers would also be protected under the proposed policy. “All issues and demands of the music stakeholders, including copyrights, would be resolved”, she reiterated.

Pakistan’s music policy, Marriyum said, would also protect the legal rights of music producers, singers, writers and lyricists, besides resolving the long-standing issues of the industry related to sales, copying and piracy.

The minister said the policy also included special measures to preserve classic music, and initiatives for local and folk music to promote regional singers and artists.

She said under the policy, steps would be taken to not only preserve bust also promote Pakistan’s musical heritage, which was rich being a unique combination of Sufi poetry, with classic and modern music.

Marriyum said music could be termed “the soul and spirit” of the Pakistani society, rather it was a national and cultural identity, which was being brought forward from generation to generation.

Since the 1970s, she said, “no policy parameters, including legislative and administrative, for the music industry have been introduced. The new policy will fully protect the copyright, which help compose quality music for masses.”

Both Pakistan and the music industry were suffering due to the theft of intellectual rights, she added.