Terms & Conditions

These terms govern the All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) Portal (portal.apmc-pakistan.org) and participation in the APMC Competitions, organised by the All Pakistan Music Conference (“APMC”, “we”), Lahore, Pakistan. By creating an account, registering a competitor, representing an institution, or entering a contest, you accept these terms. Questions: office@apmc-pakistan.org.

1. The competition

The competition runs in editions. Each edition has contests organised by discipline and age group, with rounds (typically Auditions and Finals) as published in the competition rules. The rules — repertoire, timings, stage requirements and any contest-specific conditions — form part of these terms. The rules applicable to each edition will identify the edition and its version or publication date. The version published for an edition when registration opens is the governing version for that edition, subject to below.

2. Registration and identity

Competitors register with an identity document accepted by APMC (CNIC, B-Form, passport or school ID). The details we read from it — name, date of birth, gender — are the competitor’s official identity in the competition and must be accurate; age eligibility is judged from the document’s date of birth as at the edition’s published eligibility date. Providing false or misleading information, or another person’s documents, may lead to disqualification. A recent photo of the competitor is required for identification at the venue.

Competitors under 18 may participate with the knowledge and consent of a parent or legal guardian, whose contact details we collect, or through an authorised representative of their confirmed school. The person registering or approving the registration confirms that they are authorised to do so and to accept these Terms in relation to the competitor. APMC may contact the parent, guardian or school where necessary to verify that authority.

APMC maintains a verified competitor identity across competition editions. Identity documents and verified identity details may be retained and reused for future editions so that returning competitors do not need to complete identity verification again. APMC may require a new or updated identity document where necessary, including where a document has expired, details have changed, or eligibility needs to be re-verified. Further details are set out in the Privacy Policy.

3. Entries

Each competitor may enter one contest per edition. Entries close on the published deadline (Pakistan time); after it, new entries, duet/group completions and conversions are not accepted. A duet/group entry is only complete when every invited member has accepted — incomplete entries are not entered into the competition. An entry is confirmed once identity, details, photo and the entry fee are all settled.

4. Fees and payments

Entry fees are per entry, as shown at the payment step, and are payable by bank transfer to the account published on the portal. A payment counts once the organisers verify the submitted proof of payment.

Once verified, entry fees are non-refundable, including where a competitor withdraws, does not attend, is disqualified, becomes unable to participate, or does not complete the competition, except where a refund is required by applicable law.

If you change your entry to another contest, or withdraw an entry and enter another contest in the same edition, your verified payment may be applied to the replacement contest in accordance with the registration rules. A payment is not otherwise transferable or refundable and does not automatically carry forward to a future edition.

If APMC changes, postpones or cancels a contest, APMC may, at its discretion, transfer the entry to another suitable contest or edition or provide another appropriate arrangement. No monetary refund is due except where required by applicable law.

5. Judging and results

Judging panels are appointed by APMC. The independent judges who are on the panel may choose to select 0 - 5 participants from the auditions for the final competition. Only those that meet the minimum quality standard are selected for the next round, even if there are less than 3 participants that reach the final. If the participant is not selected, we request that you remain respectful of the judges decision, work harder and try again next year.

Marks, once entered, are a permanent part of the competition record. Progression to a later round happens only through the organisers’ committed advancement decision after judging. The organisers’ decisions on marks, advancement, ties, awards and any matter of interpretation are final. APMC may nevertheless correct clerical, calculation, data-entry or administrative errors. Results are published on the portal and may name competitors, their placing and their institution.

6. Attendance and conduct

Competitors perform according to the published programme and running order; a competitor who does not appear when called may be marked a no-show for that round. We expect respectful conduct towards judges, organisers, venues and other competitors. The organisers may decline, suspend or remove an entry for misconduct, false information or breach of the rules.

7. Photography, recording and archive

APMC has documented Pakistani classical music for decades. Competitions and performances may therefore be photographed, audio-recorded, video-recorded, livestreamed or otherwise documented as part of the event.

By entering the competition, the competitor — or, for a minor, the consenting parent, guardian or authorised school representative — gives APMC permission to record the competitor’s participation and performance and to preserve those recordings, photographs and related materials in APMC’s permanent archive and historical record. APMC may also use such material for reporting and documenting the competition, including coverage of the event and publication of competition results.

Promotional use. APMC may also use photographs, audio, video or excerpts featuring the competitor on APMC’s or Partners website, social media, publications, fundraising material and other material promoting APMC and its activities. Promotional consent is not a condition of entering the competition and may be withdrawn for future promotional uses by contacting office@apmc-pakistan.org. Withdrawal does not require APMC to remove material already published, distributed, broadcast or incorporated into its historical archive. The permissions given to APMC under this section are non-exclusive and royalty-free.

8. The portal

We provide the portal with reasonable care, but it is provided as-is; scheduled times may change and the authoritative programme is the one published closest to the event. You are responsible for the accuracy of what you submit and for keeping access to your sign-in email or phone.

9. Changes

We may update these Terms and the competition rules from time to time. Updated versions will show their effective or publication date.

Once registration for an edition has opened, APMC will not materially change that edition’s eligibility, repertoire, judging or entry requirements unless reasonably necessary. APMC may correct errors, clarify rules and make operational changes concerning matters such as venues, dates, timings, running orders, safety requirements or competition administration.

If APMC makes a material change affecting an edition already open for registration, the change will be published on the portal and, where reasonably practical, communicated to affected competitors or representatives.

Changes made for a future edition do not alter the rules governing a previous edition.

See also the Privacy Policy and the competition rules.