Karachi:
Ayesha Omar is expected to welcome Lazawaal Ishq, the first reality show in Pakistan. The announcement has already sparked a net debate. The concept reflects international formats like Love Island, bringing together four men and four women in a villa where they will date, participate in challenges and form alliances while the cameras follow each of their movements. The final will see a couple declared the winners.
The teaser, released in mid-September, quickly divided the public. Online criticisms have flocked, many arguing that the program clashed with cultural traditions and Islamic values. Boycott campaigns have spread on social networks, with hashtags targeting both the show and its host. Calls have also increased so that regulators intervene before it could reach the screens.
Responding to the controversy, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a clarification. The regulator confirmed that it had received a large number of complaints, but explained that Lazawaal Ishq had not been authorized to broadcast television in Pakistan. Pemra noted that his jurisdiction only applies to licensed television channels, and as teasers of the program circulate online and will broadcast on YouTube, he cannot prohibit or approve the content at this stage.
From Istanbul, Ayesha Omar defended the project as a revolutionary stage for the Ourdou public. She said that the candidates are all Pakistani and described production as a mixture of drama, romance and competition. With its villa setting, its swimming pool and its 24-hour shooting, she added, the series is designed to offer an immersive reality show experience never attempted in the local industry.
Despite its optimism, the decline remains strong. Religious groups, cultural commentators and many social media users argue that dating shows risks undermining family values and promoting behaviors considered inappropriate. Some criticisms have even undertaken to approach the courts to try to block the program before its launch.
A user said “guys, we must all point out. It is against our culture and our religion standards.”
Another said “pointing it please, we don’t support it.”
Another user said to “having a certain decency is one thing to sin … and that is another to make it known !!! fear Allah … What do you leave in this world! ?? My nation will be forgiven with the exception of those who sin in public. Among them is a man who commits a bad action in the night that Allah hid for himself, then in the morning he said, I said to the night. But in the morning, he reveals what Allah hid. “Source: ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6069, ṣaḥīḥ music 2990.”
Another said “Unfortunately, people who criticize here are often the same people who love reality TV shows from other countries. But when it is our own reality show, made by our own people, we are not quick to criticize and degrade it, without even knowing the real context and watching the show. We never encourage or never appreciate the efforts of our own. Saint.
Another user said: “Allows you to boycott and raise our voices before the start of this impudity! Look like these female actresses in Pakistan spoil our young people through the clothes of Western culture! We don’t want such shows please !! ”
Currently, no broadcast date or official platform has been confirmed, leaving the show in uncertain territory. What is clear is that Lazawaal Ishq has already become a flash point in discussions on entertainment, regulations and cultural identity. For supporters, it represents a chance to experiment with new formats and extend the Urdou content to the global scene. For detractors, it highlights the tension between imported media trends and local values. Whatever his fate, the debate surrounding the series assured that he will remember him as a marker of the disputed of the future of television in Pakistan.
