Punjab Dramatic Performances Bill 2026 has been approved by a Punjab Assembly committee, in a move that would bring stage dramas under a new regulatory framework for the first time in 150 years. The Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Culture unanimously approved the bill on 4 November, proposing mandatory licensing of performance venues, registration of artistes, and scrutiny of scripts before performances. The bill now moves toward the assembly, where it will need a full vote before it becomes law.
The Punjab Council of the Arts is one of the bodies that would run the new system. The proposed legislation seeks to replace the colonial era Dramatic Performances Act, 1876, with a comprehensive regulatory framework to be administered by the Punjab Information and Culture Department and the Punjab Council of the Arts. The Council of the Arts already works with theatre groups across the province, and it would now have a formal role in licensing venues and in receiving the recordings of performances.
The Script Review Committee is the body that would check scripts before a show. The bill proposes that scripts be submitted to a Script Review Committee at least 15 days before a scheduled performance. The committee would read the script and decide whether it can be performed, and the 15 day rule gives it time to ask for changes. The bill also proposes that performances containing obscene, vulgar or defamatory material, content likely to create disaffection against the government, or material that could hurt religious sentiments will be prohibited.
The Dramatic Performances Act 1876 is the colonial law the bill would replace. The proposed legislation seeks to replace the colonial era Dramatic Performances Act, 1876, which was written when Punjab was under British rule and when theatre was a very different business. The old law gave the authorities wide powers over performances, but it was written for a different age, and it did not cover modern stage shows, recordings, or livestreams. The new bill is meant to give the province a modern law that fits how theatre works today.
Sardar Habib ur Rehman Khan is the committee chair who led the approval. The bill was approved during a committee meeting held on 4 November under the chairpersonship of MPA Sardar Habib ur Rehman Khan, attended by members of the Punjab Assembly and officials of the assembly and relevant government departments. The approval was unanimous, which means no member of the committee opposed the bill at that stage. A unanimous committee vote does not guarantee that the full assembly will pass it, but it shows that the bill has support across the committee.
The stage drama licensing plan covers venues, artistes and crew. The proposed law requires licensing of performance venues, registration of artistes and crew members, and script approval at least 15 days before performances. Every theatre that wants to stage a drama would need a licence, and every artiste and crew member would need to be registered. The bill further requires every theatrical performance to be livestreamed to the relevant Arts Council and recorded, so that the authorities have a record of what was performed.
For stage artistes, the bill brings both protection and new rules. Lahore based stage artist Tanveer Chattha welcomed the government initiative, saying the proposed legislation could help improve the standard of stage dramas. He said stage drama had historically been an important source of Pakistan international recognition, and that efforts were needed to revive its former standing. For artistes who have worked for years without a formal system, registration could bring recognition, but it also means they will have to follow the new rules on scripts and recordings.
The bill comes at a time when theatre in Punjab is trying to rebuild its audience. Stage drama has long been popular in Lahore and other cities, but it has also faced criticism for low standards and for content that some audiences find vulgar. The bill is meant to raise the standard, by checking scripts in advance and by making venues and artistes accountable. The livestream rule is the most modern part of the plan, because it lets the Arts Council watch a performance as it happens, rather than relying on reports after the show.
In the coming weeks, the items to watch will be whether the bill reaches the full Punjab Assembly, whether any changes are made to the script review rules, and how theatre groups respond to the licensing plan. The committee has approved it, but the assembly still has to vote, and the bill could change in that process. For now, the Punjab Dramatic Performances Bill 2026 has cleared its first hurdle, and stage drama in Punjab may soon work under a new set of rules.
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