A member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Rehana Ismail, has submitted a resolution in the provincial assembly objecting to how the popular drama serial “Aap Ki Izzat” portrays a Pashtun character. According to the resolution, the show depicts a Pashtun vegetable seller in a way that makes him look greedy and dishonest, which she says is offensive to the Pashtun community.
“Aap Ki Izzat” airs on HUM TV and is written by well-known author Umera Ahmed and directed by Saife Hassan. The drama stars Urwa Hocane and Ahsan Khan in lead roles, alongside Saif Ali Khan, who plays a vegetable seller named Behram. In the story, Behram develops a close bond with Beena, played by Urwa Hocane, after her husband decides to remarry, and the character has become one of the most talked-about parts of the serial.
In her resolution, Rehana Ismail has urged the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to immediately look into the matter and take legal action against those responsible if the drama is found to have violated broadcasting rules on respectful representation of ethnic communities.
The resolution reflects growing sensitivity around how regional and ethnic identities are shown on Pakistani television, with lawmakers increasingly stepping in when viewers feel a community has been unfairly stereotyped.
