The Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) is the regulatory body and censorship board of Pakistan. The CBFC is governed by the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979 and rules made there under. The prime statuary function of the CBFC is censorship of films. With its Head office at Islamabad headed by the Chairman, has two branches at Lahore and Karachi. The CBFC examines the films in the light of the Censorship Code provided by the Federal Government.
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The main function of the Central Board of Film Censors is to examine suitability of films for public exhibition or otherwise under the guidelines provided by the Federal Government in the shape of film censorship code. Producers of locally produced films have the option to apply for Censorship of their films to any of the office of the Board at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi whereas imported films are examined by the Board only at Islamabad. Films belonging to Foreign Missions are also examined at Islamabad.
The Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979 and the rules made there under focus upon the broad policy framework and administrative procedures for the certification of films for public exhibition. The film censorship code covers all the important aspects of society and lays down the guiding principles for film making in Pakistan. To make the film industry abide by the code for censorship, strict policy measures are adopted from time to time and, while certifying films, every effort is made to ensure that no scene, dance or dialogue gets through which is derogatory to the accepted moral standards of the society.
While examining films, the CBFC eliminates public exhibition of a film or any part thereof which is likely to: