Islamabad
AP
–
The date show, modeled after “Love Island,” featuring Pakistani contestants, sparked rage in the majority of Muslim countries, despite the episode not yet airing. The series is only accessible on YouTube.
The country’s broadcasting regulator said on Saturday that it was not in a position to act on public complaints because it had no authority over the streaming platform.
Razzawal Ishk, or Eternal Love, is hosted by Pakistani actress Aesha Omar and is filmed in Istanbul. Adapted from the Turkish format, Aşk Adası, it resembles the successful international franchise of “Love Island”, bringing together four Pakistani men and women in a gorgeous villa where all the interactions are filmed. In Pakistan, extramarital relationships are illegal and dating is stigma.
Last week, Omar shared a teaser of the cruising along the Bosphorus, and then welcomed contestants to the villa. However, the promotion quickly elicited criticism online, with detractors labeling the form as “non-Islamic” and accusing them of copying Western culture.
A flood of public complaints about Urdu shows has led Pakistani regulators to issue clarifications saying they can’t do anything.
Mohammed Tahir, a spokesman for Pakistan’s electronic media regulator, said on Saturday that the programme has not been broadcast on television channels approved by the authorities either in mainstream media.
“That doesn’t fall under our domain,” Tahir told The Associated Press. “We don’t regulate YouTube. This content is not from a TV channel. The public doesn’t recognize that YouTube is outside the scope of the regulations.”
Host Omar told Pakistan-based Fashion Times last week that the project was “the first viewer for Pakistani and Urdu-speaking viewers.”
She says the show will feature “love, bonds, competition” and audiences will witness “every spark, every fight, and every heartfelt connection.” Over the course of 100 episodes, eight contestants compete in challenges and alliances until one couple appears as winners.
No one on the show could immediately comment.
Lazawal Ishq is scheduled to debut on YouTube on September 29th.
