Muhammad Faheem
A petition has been submitted to the Peshawar High Court urging the ban of the drama serial “Sirf Tum”.
Peshawar High Court lawyer Sara Ali Khan has filed the writ, naming 13 parties, including the Government of Pakistan through the Secretary of Information, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Secretary of Interior, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority, Chairman of the Federal Investigation Agency, Director General of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Chairman of Islamic Ideological Council, Ministry of Law and Justice, Geo Entertainment Channel, Drama Producer Abdullah Kadwani, Actress Sakina Khan, and Actor Mohsin Abbas.
The filed writ emphasizes that the drama serial “Sirf Tum” is currently airing on Geo Television from Monday to Thursday, with its 16th episode aired on August 2. The episode showcased objectionable scenes where Actress Sakina Khan and Actor Mohsin Abbas Haider openly consumed alcohol on the first night of their marriage.
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These scenes were filmed in a manner contrary to the teachings of the Holy Quran, Sunnah, and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The content of the drama serial “Sirf Tum” contradicts the values, norms, and traditions of our society, making a case for its complete ban. The scenes in question blatantly breach the censorship policies of PEMRA laws. Even the preamble of the constitution disallows the presentation of such content through media. The petitioner cites a fatwa obtained in this regard. Sara Ali Khan, the advocate, argues in the writ that Pakistani media plays a significant role in shaping societal awareness, and the adverse effects of such content have far-reaching consequences. Allowing such content to persist would endanger the entire future generation of Pakistan.
Pakistan stands as an Islamic state with Islam as its foundational ideology. The state bears the responsibility to ensure that the Muslims of Pakistan lead their lives in alignment with the fundamental principles and concepts of Islam. The purpose behind the drama serial in question directly violates Articles 2, 2A, 19, 19A, 20, 31, 35, 37, and 38 of the Constitution, making a strong case for its complete prohibition.
The writ also highlights other similar scenes in previous drama serials, such as “Tere Bin,” “Juda Huwa Kuch Is Tarah,” “Mere Paas Tum Ho,” and others, which have concluded their episodes without any intervention from PEMRA. The absence of a monitoring system and accountability mechanisms for filming and broadcasting such scenes is a clear violation of PEMRA laws, leading to outcomes such as the controversial drama serial “Sirf Tum.”
These unlawful actions and the content of drama serials foster indecency, hatred, religious discrimination, and divisiveness within society. The writ calls for the respondents to be penalized under Sections 298 and 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The court possesses the authority to summon the respondents to present their written justifications and subsequently prohibit any broadcast media or distribution services operator (or owner) from airing or rebroadcasting or distributing any program or advertisement if it deems that the specific program or advertisement goes against Pakistan’s ideology, disrupts law and order, threatens public peace and harmony, jeopardizes national security, constitutes obscenity, or contradicts accepted standards of decency.
The basis for action in the writ is that these activities are illegal, un-Islamic, unconstitutional, and against morality and natural justice. These drama serials are propagating obscenity in society and lead the youth toward reckless and immoral behavior. It’s on these grounds that the court is urged to impose a ban.
