Requests the court to order action on PEMRA, PTA, under the leadership of the Council of Islamic Ideology
Constitutional petition filed in Islamabad High Court against reality TV show Lazawal Ishq on allegations of promoting obscene and immoral content.
The petitioner, Muhammad Faiq Shah, president of the Aman Taraqqi Party, claims that the reality TV show presents content contrary to the religious values, traditions and morals of the country. It promotes obscenity and moral corruption to its young audience, the petitioner argued, prompting the court to order PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] and PTA [Pakistan Telecommunication Authority] to strictly monitor “immoral” content on digital platforms.
The applicant had further sought advice from the court on the role of the Council of Islamic Ideology. “We support art and freedom of expression, but not moral decline and immodesty in the name of freedom,” the petitioner said.
Hosted by actress Ayesha Omar, Lazawal Ishq is modeled on the Turkish reality show Ask Adasi. In the series, men and women live in a villa, search for a partner and participate in challenges while forming alliances. The camera follows their every move until one couple becomes the winner in the final.
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A teaser released last month in September drew a divided audience, with some applauding the series and others calling for a complete boycott. Still others demanded action against the channel and the producers. In response to these calls, PEMRA clarified that it had received several complaints against the show and confirmed that the reality show was not authorized to be broadcast on television in Pakistan.
However, the authority clarified that its regulation is limited to television channels while the program is streamed on YouTube and its teasers are shared digitally.
Omar has previously defended the project, calling it revolutionary for Urdu audiences. All the contestants are Pakistani, she said, adding that the production is a mix of drama, romance and competition.
The petition, filed through Shah’s lawyer Mian Asif Mahmood, named the Federation of Pakistan, PTA, PEMRA, Council of Islamic Ideology (CCI) and the newly formed National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) as respondents.
Presenting the petition as the start of a “moral revolution”, the Aman Taraqqi Party called for immediate measures to protect Pakistan’s religious and cultural identity.
