PEMRA Blocks Airing Of Drama Hadsa Linked To Motorway case

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s media regulatory body, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), has prohibited the broadcast of the TV series ‘Hadsa,’ which was thought to be inspired by the 2020 motorway gang rape case.

The action was taken in response to widespread criticism and outrage over the show’s content, which was believed to be based on the horrific incident where a woman was sexually assaulted by two men on a motorway near Lahore in front of her children.

Read more : Hadiqa Kiani Addresses Hadsa Backlash Regarding Motorway Incident Story

Amid this criticism, advocate Khadija Siddiqi filed a formal complaint, prompting PEMRA to direct Geo TV to halt the broadcast of the controversial drama.

This complaint was lodged due to public outcry as people found the show’s plot connected to the traumatic event that deeply affected the nation.

Following consultations with legal experts, the rape victim’s counsel approached PEMRA to intervene and stop the broadcast.

PEMRA received numerous complaints from viewers expressing concerns about the show’s plot and theme. Viewers criticized the drama for being based on a real incident that occurred on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway.

PEMRA stated that portraying such a heinous act could not only retraumatize the unfortunate victim but also damage the country’s global image. It was feared that viewers abroad might perceive Pakistan as an unsafe place for women.

PEMRA deemed the storyline of ‘Hadsa’ highly inappropriate and disturbing, and believed it did not accurately reflect Pakistani society. As a result, the show was immediately banned under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance, 2002, as amended by the PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007.

‘Hadiqa says Hadsa not related to motorway rape case’
In response to the backlash, Hadiqa Kiani denied claims that her new drama serial ‘Hadsa’ was based on the 2020 motorway rape incident.

Read more : Hadiqa Kiani has finished building 100 homes for flood victims

In a statement, she clarified, “After several conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to the motorway story.”

The singer explained that she had inquired whether the drama was connected to the true incident before taking on the project. The team denied any link with the disturbing event, she asserted.

Hadiqa emphasized that rape and violence are sadly common in society, affecting men, women, and children from all social classes and regions. She mentioned that while she has encountered many stories like this, ‘Hadsa’ is not based on any specific story but rather on a distressingly common aspect of reality.

She further expressed her inability to dictate how survivors should respond, but urged for a conversation about this issue to move forward, in hopes of protecting and empowering survivors.