ISLAMABAD: Cinema houses are an important source of entertainment for the masses worldwide, but in Pakistan Cinema Industry is on the verge of collapse, particularly in Twin cities cinemas are gradually turning into plazas, and shopping malls. Once cinemas were the only source of entertainment at low cost for the masses in the cities, but due to multiple reasons at present it is about to become a tale of the past.

Dying Cinema industry had tried its best to save it, and in this regard many steps have been taken including to show the Indian movies, but all it went in vain. The spectators and cinema owner narrating the golden days of the cinema industry said that in the bygone days, there used to be hustle and bustle in these cinema houses; but at now mostly of the houses are turned to shopping centers.

In Rawalpindi Novelty Cinema is closed since long Naz Cinema has been demolished and owner the Naz cinema has planned to build a shopping plaza at the place of the cinema and Nadir cinema has been changed into a wedding hall.

Now there are a few functional cinema halls in Rawalpindi and many of them are in deteriorating conditions such as Moti Mehal Cinema, and the Seroze cinema of Rawalpindi is fighting for its survival. The cinema houses of Islamabad such as Melody, Kohsar and Neftic are closed for a long time and currently there is no operational cinema house in Islamabad and thus the Capital city of Pakistan is the only capital in the world without a cinema house.

Indian movies were also introduced for the sake of restoration of the past glory to these cinema houses, but this struggle was failed due to cable system. The owners of these cinema houses are trying to find out some other alternative employments due to high price of electricity and less interest of the spectators to come to cinema houses, said the owners.

The worsening situation of furniture in cinema and the growing fears of terrorist activities have also played an important role destroy the business of cinema houses, said the viewers. The owners of these cinema houses demanded of the government to provide them with incentives so that they can invest to restore the dying cinema industry.

The cinema owners lamenting over the situation said that the cultural ministry had never tried to compensate the dying cinema industry. They said that it was a high time for the government to take solid steps so that the glorious past of cinema industry can be brought back. The spectators are of the view that it is better for them to watch a movie at Rs 10 rupee at home rather than to spend Rs 150 for it at cinema house. NNI