50-acre Film City in the offing

Legislation to set up overseeing authority referred to Punjab Assembly committee

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday announced the planned establishment of a 50-acre Film City in Lahore, positioning the project as a central pillar in efforts to revive the country's media and entertainment industry while expanding the province's digital economy.

The facility will be developed in the Nawaz Sharif IT City, an 853-acre project near the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), and was described by officials as the country's first fully integrated, "end-to-end" media production hub.

According to the chief minister, the Film City will bring film, television, animation and digital media production under a single ecosystem, enabling local producers to complete projects domestically rather than relying on foreign facilities for visual effects and post-production work.

The planned infrastructure includes modern studios, sound stages, post-production laboratories, constructed sets and a central lake designed to support large-scale shoots. Convention halls for international events and award shows, as well as a media trade hub and dedicated film and music schools, are also part of the development plan.

Officials say the project is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs while supporting growth in related sectors such as animation, gaming and digital content creation.

The Information Technology City initiative carries an estimated cost of Rs100 billion and is projected to create around one million jobs across its technology, education, commercial and residential zones.

The government has already allocated Rs10 billion as seed funding, with the first phase - including the Celestia twin-tower IT building - targeted for completion within 12 months. Full infrastructure development is expected within three years, subject to land transfer and survey completion.

Planning for the project is being led by Nespak in collaboration with an international consultant, while the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (CBD Punjab) has been tasked with implementation. Authorities say the project will operate through a mix of financing models, including joint ventures, self-generation and real estate investment trusts, supported by a 10-year tax exemption aimed at attracting local and foreign investment.

Alongside infrastructure development, the government has also moved to establish a regulatory and facilitation framework through the proposed Punjab Film City Authority. A draft law, the Punjab Film City Authority Act 2026, wasintroduced in the provincial assembly and referred to a committee for review last week.

The proposed authority is expected to oversee film production, television and documentary projects, while introducing a comprehensive policy framework, licensing system and one-window operation to streamline approvals and reduce bureaucratic delays. It would also provide funding support, grants and incentives to encourage new productions and attract investment into the sector.

Officials say the authority will play a dual role of promoting the industry while also serving as a platform to address complaints and operational challenges faced by filmmakers and production companies.

The initiative reflects a push by the provincial government to integrate creative industries into Pakistan's evolving digital economy, where media, technology and online platforms are increasingly converging.

Analysts say such projects could complement the country's rapidly expanding freelancing sector, which has become a significant source of income for young professionals working in digital services. Recent data from the State Bank of Pakistan shows freelancers earned about $856 million in the first nine months of FY2025–26, underscoring the growing role of digital work in the economy.

With more than two million freelancers operating across fields such as design, video production, animation and content creation, the development of dedicated media infrastructure could provide new opportunities for collaboration, skill development and higher-value production.