Pakistan’s first ever dating show ‘Lazawaal Ishq’ to premier on social media only

ISLAMABAD: The controversial Urdu-language television reality dating show Lazawaal Ishq, hosted by Pakistani television actor and presenter Ayesha Omar, won’t hit the airwaves, Pakistan’s highest media regulator confirmed on Tuesday, bringing days of rumor to a close.

In a statement posted on social media, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) explained that it had received many public complaints regarding the program.

The regulatory body made it clear that Lazawaal Ishq is an online-first production and that it will be broadcast online exclusively. It said that the programme will not go on air on any Pemra-licensed television channel, and that the law is only applicable to the Pemra-licensed platforms.

The news follows digital hype around Omar’s show, generating controversy surrounding whether or not it would reach mainstream TV.

Based on the hit Turkish reality series Aşk Adası, the show will involve four men and four women sharing a luxurious villa for 100 episodes. Their behaviors and activities are to be taped before the finale of the show, which will see the coronation of the winning couple.

The trailer features Omar in the background of Istanbul’s Bosphorus before she arrives at the villa — a contemporary abode with a pool where participants will be staying.

The format has been ported before to Persian and Arabic-speaking audiences, but this is its first in Urdu.