Ramazan is the ninth month of Hijri calendar comes to purify our souls and makes us pious Muslims as prescribed in Islam. The month filled with divine blessings, rewards from good deeds and prayers, and the most important one is fasting, that is for the purification of our body (as quoted in Quran Shareef) but it even cleanses our souls and makes us realize the pain of voracious and destitute people. As the end of Shaban reaches, the Muslim community across the world (as Islam is the World’s second largest practicing religion) started preparations for fasting, making extra efforts for prayers performances, numerous kinds of Iftar items arranged by the family members. There is some kind of difference in this month from other ones, as we rejoice and welcome it with whole glee.
In Pakistan, the TV channels also prepare some informative and religious programs for the nation. Religious scholars invited to answer and solve the issues of people. Unfortunately, for the few years, I have witnessed a gradual change in our Ramazan TV shows that have altered the meaning of the holy month. As much as I am much excited about the Ramazan for its uncountable blessings and the ambiances (as every Muslim is excited about it), but these Ramazan shows boil my blood due to their insane acting, after watching one of those programs, I wished I could be unseen those unethical shows that have shattered the self-respect of the audience.
The game shows after Ramzan transmission has let people forget their dignity for the sake of materialistic things. Unlike few uncles who are dancing and making voices of animals for the sake of a bike and even in the competition that who makes the host laugh. The miserable reality of our society. The story does not end here; people are willing to do anything to win the free bike or home appliances or even a mobile phone as if they have no self-esteem or formality. The most reputable people of middle/old aged uncles doing embarrassing dances on the Indian songs and their families feeling proud to see them doing such acts with pride, that how much exemplifying their father for them and even in front of the audience for materialistic things. People are begging to the Host for free bikes, cars and mobile phone for that they will play ridiculous games for it (even the women audience of the show).
One of the most depressing parts of these Ramzan game shows is that the TV channel administration selects those show hosts who have no or zero credibility to host Ramzan transmission. Like the hosts who have been busy in ridiculous acts whole year, they are hosting Ramzan shows, what a shame! The actors who are wearing backless and the bold dresses, doing item numbers in the movies, attending award shows in which we cannot see the difference in the Bollywood actresses and in them. They just take out dupattas from their closets and wear them just for the show and in Eid Special Shows, all dupattas returned back to the closets for next year’s drama. I am not judging them for wearing the bold dresses but the point is that please does not make fun of religion, if you are in the glamour industry then stay there do not teach us Islam for a while, we know better than you (apologetically).
The Morning show hosts who have been celebrating Valentine’s Day, dancing in Eid shows, arranging Shadi drama in their morning shows after every week by wearing 4-5 lac rupees dresses turned out to be the World’s most pious Muslim and demonstrates the pain of poor and needy people. Indeed, we the people of Pakistan are tired from the melodrama of yours dear actors and morning show hosts. Stop making fun of the utmost tranquil religion Islam. Unfortunately, our Ramzan TV show hosts are doing anything for the TRPs game; even it includes the humiliation of others.
Fortuitously, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court has taken strong caveat of such Circus kind of programs and released a notice for all the TV show hosts and TV channels owners. According to the IHC:
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui — had taken strong exception to the “circus” that programmes fronted by popular hosts like Dr. Amir Liaquat, Sahir Lodhi, Fahad Mustafa and Waseem Badami had become — said in the order that channels engaged in airing or spreading “obscene, indecent and immoral” content will be dealt with in accordance to penal provisions.
“No programme suggestive of containing lottery and gambling, even apparently for a noble purpose like Haj/Umrah tickets etc, shall be promoted to air either live or recorded,” the short order issued on May 9, 2018.
No programme in violation of Pemra guidelines should be aired, and stern action will be taken against violators after strict monitoring, according to the order.
The court stated that: “No activity in [an] individual or collective capacity of any citizen can be allowed which is against the glory of Islam, integrity, security or defence of Pakistan, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court.”
According to the order, “It is [the] responsibility of the State to provide an atmosphere in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah. As such indecency, morality and obscenity of any kind and nature are against the injunctions of Islam and offensive to guarantees provided by the organic law of the country ie. The Constitution.”
“All law enforcing agencies and regulatory bodies are under statutory obligations to ensure that no activity prejudicial to the glory of Islam and the Constitution is permitted, individually or collectively on electronic or print media,” it added.
The people of Pakistan have taken a sigh of relief after the court orders because it was kind of a mental torture for almost everyone. Ramazan is the month sent by Allah (SWT) for Muslims to repent, pray, return towards their creator, and make a connection with Allah (SWT) and for performing good deeds with everyone. but unfortunately, these shows have altered the actual meaning of Ramazan and turned everyone’s attention towards the winning of free things in the games shows without giving a concern towards their sense of worth. Concentrate to purify and full your Imaan instead of begging for the materialistic things in the TV shows.
