A brave Pakistani TV show has addressed the dozens of blasphemy murders for the first time. An axe-wielding mob stalks a terrified group.
Islam is Pakistan’s national religion, therefore disrespecting it might trigger mob violence.
Security concerns prevent major media outlets from discussing blasphemy, an inflammatory charge.
Sultana Siddiqui’s 11-part TV drama, which premiered in December, has been lauded for sensitively treating a controversial topic.
HUM Network founder Siddiqui told AFP, “This issue has not been raised before because of fear.”
Her drama Tan Man Neel o Neel, about a small Pakistani town, has garnered millions of views and accolades on social media.
She stated she took the risk carefully. People liked it because of that.
“Malicious disinformation”
Blasphemy occurs when a character fraudulently says a dance performance took place in a mosque instead of an abandoned mansion.
The false accusation storyline seems real.
Last month, Pakistan’s independent Human Rights Commission reported “impunity for perpetrators of hate and violence”.
It described bogus claims that killed Pakistani Christians and Hindus and attacked their houses of worship.
The commission noted that law enforcement has struggled to protect blasphemy suspects from vigilante violence.
A thorough investigation of blasphemy claims reveals fabrications, deliberate deception, and fake news.
A 2017 Mardan mob beating that killed 23-year-old journalism student Mashal Khan for sharing blasphemous content inspired Siddiqui.
“I couldn’t sleep after hearing Mashal’s mother say that ‘not a single bone in his body was left unbroken — even his finger bones were fractured'”
I wondered, “How brutally must they have beaten him?”
Mohammad Iqbal, the deceased student’s father, said the producer chose the “right topic” and “honoured his son”.
We, the most impacted, have rarely spoken about it publicly, he told AFP.
“At last, this conversation is on TV”.
‘Raise conscience’
Siddiqui said she had long wanted to address the problem and had been working with fellow directors and writers to cover it properly.
She said, “I, too, fear extremists who might not like me and could harm me.”
I believe we should respectfully discuss these issues with them.”
Siddiqui said she had a “duty to educate people” and “raise awareness about crucial social issues” concerning society.
Massive viewership of Pakistani shows drives social change.
By October 2023, Gallup reported that two-fifths of Americans watch dramas.
Show writer Mustafa Afridi stated, “We should have spoken about such issues much earlier.”
“Maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation today, perhaps our children wouldn’t be dying.”
‘Viral criticism’
Pakistan’s media industry has been weary of the topic and accused of blasphemous content.
The Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) called Zindagi Tamasha’s portrayal of a cleric “blasphemous” and suspended its release.
Lahore’s Wazir Khan mosque was the site of violent demonstrations in 2020 after singer Bilal Saeed danced with actor Saba Qamar in a song video.
They apologised and were acquitted two years later when police filed a case.
According to Alliance Against Blasphemy Politics director Arafat Mazhar, Siddiqui’s broadcast “sparked a viral critique of blasphemy-related mob violence”.
He called it “unprecedented”.
“It wasn’t just that people were watching a drama about mob violence; it was that the conversation was about mob violence on such a large scale for the first time,” he told AFP.
The fight against blasphemy violence goes beyond condemning mob killings. Challenge the structures that produce and support them.
