Pakistan, June 4 -- Pakistani actor and producer Fahad Mustafa has urged the Punjab government to review and extend current operating hours for cinemas and malls, saying existing restrictions are negatively affecting newly released films and reducing audience turnout.

In a letter addressed to Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and shared on Instagram, Mustafa noted that most cinemas operate within shopping malls and are therefore directly impacted by the government's early closing policy introduced under austerity measures.

He said the limitations were hurting box office performance at a time when new films rely heavily on strong early audience engagement. A modest extension in operating hours, he argued, could help improve ticke...