The Central Board of Film Censors (abbreviated as CBFC) ( ur, ) is a

film censorship Film censorship is carried out by various countries to differing degrees, sometimes as a result of powerful or relentless lobbying by organizations or individuals. Films that are banned in a particular country change over time. Rating systems A ...

board and rating system body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for the

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...

. Since the

Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan The Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan (Urdu: آئین پاکستان میں اٹھارہویں ترمیم) was passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on April 8, 2010, removing the power of the President of Pakistan to ...

its jurisdiction has been limited to

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...

Cantonments A cantonment (, , or ) is a military quarters. In Bangladesh, India and other parts of South Asia, a ''cantonment'' refers to a permanent military station (a term from the colonial-era). In United States military parlance, a cantonment is, essent ...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...

and

Balochistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...

; with separate censor boards for

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

(Punjab Film Censor Board, PFCB) and

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

(Sindh Board of Film Censors, SBFC) headquartered in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

and

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

respectively. Though the CBFC maintains an unofficial dominant position over the latter boards. These boards are tasked with regulating the public screening of films under the provisions of the ''Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979''.

Function

The ''Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979'' focuses upon a broad policy framework and administrative procedures for the certification of films for public screening. The film censorship code covers wide aspects of "morals and ethnics" which lays down the guiding principles for

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

in Pakistan. Strict policy has been adopted to ensure that no scene or dialogue in a film is passed which is considered "derogatory to the accepted moral standards of the society". Certifications is refused if, in the opinion of the board, the film or any part thereof: #ridicules, disparages or attacks Islam or any religious sect, caste and creed. #questions the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan or hurts national sentiments. #undermines public order, decency or morality, which includes vulgar dialogues, songs, or gestures. #glorifies vice or crime or amounts to incitement of a criminal offense. Any film refused certification may appeal within thirty days of the date of refusal.

Certification

CBFC

* U: Any film with ''U certification'' is fit for unrestricted public screening and without the need for parental guidance. These films contain little violence, no sexual scenes and no abusive language. * F: Family (akin to ''U'' above) * PG: Akin to ''U/A'' * A: Any film with ''A certification'' is restricted to adults or needs parental guidance for viewing. These films contain significant violence, sexual scenes and abusive language and can include controversial adult themes considered unsuitable for young viewers.

SBFC

* U: Universal, approved for general audiences * PG: Parental Guidance * PG-13: Parents Cautioned * PG-15: Suitable for 15 years and older * 18+: For Adults only Source:

Chairperson

References

External links

*
Central Board of Film Censors - Government of Pakistan
{{Cinema of Pakistan Film organisations in Pakistan Film censorship in Pakistan Film controversies in Pakistan Motion picture rating systems Pakistan federal departments and agencies Regulatory authorities of Pakistan Entertainment rating organizations