Daily Times

A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker has moved Punjab Assembly to ban the word ‘talaaq’ (meaning ‘divorce’) from TV dramas, because “they affect the society negatively”. It does raise your eyebrows when you hear this news for the first time, and you might wonder, like I did, if this was backed by a research. But no! Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Malik Taimoor Masood in his frustration-filled resolution that he submitted today did not back it up with any research. He was quick to point out how this word was ‘detested’ in Islam.

Masood did not make a suggestion as to what should be the alternate word to be used if a storyline requires it. Does he mean that the whole concept of divorce should be banned in TV dramas? By his logic, society gets inspired by the negativity shown in TV dramas. Does this mean that all TV dramas should only have a happy story line?

I hope he does realise that conflict is a basic element of screenwriting, and no one would watch any TV show if it didn’t show any point of conflict – or ‘negative scenes’.  We also mustn’t forget that love triangles and divorces are often the centre of conflict in South Asian TV serials, regardless of whether one agrees with them or not.

Also, Masood is the same MPA who had previously submitted the motion to ban popular Japanese cartoon series, ‘Doraemon’, claiming that it had a negative impact on children’s educational and physical well-being and that they were destroying our societal norms.

This reminds me of another politician who at one time in a TV show suggested to ban a certain male dietician, because a health professional who is a man and in good shape has no business being in “womanly morning shows”. One can only wonder where they get this stuff from. They make big claims but don’t back them up with any research or studies. Do they bring their domestic fights to the house then?

Regardless, it looks like our representatives really have their priorities sorted. I mean, who knew that not poverty, not injustice, not illiteracy, but the use of word “talaaq” in television soaps could destroy our society?

Dear MPA, it’s a humble request to do a little more homework, talk about actual issues that concern people, and back your claims up with studies or researches before you move your next resolution. Or just shut up and stop with your obsession of banning things.

The writer is the Digital Editor, Daily Times and can be reached at me@farhanjanjua.com. He tweets and instagrams @FarhanJanjua