By Ben-Owen Jones
Procreation in Pakistan has taken a bizarre new twist in an attempt to boost television ratings. Amaan Ramazan is a Pakistani version of the US hit game show The Price Is Right. According to The Hoopla, the winning contestant goes home with an abandoned baby.
Aamir Liaquat Hussain, host of the primetime show, shocked viewers when he offered two winning couples a newborn during Ramadan.
“These 14 years were full of hardships, but I remained patient and also asked my wife to be patient,” said newly adoptive father Riaz-ud-din.
His wife Tasneem added, “It’s a gift from God. It’s changed our lives.”
Aamir Hussain, former Minister of Religious Affairs, has attracted criticism before. His heavy mix of Islamic religion and entertainment is often followed by controversy.
“It’s not a prize, it’s not a game show, it’s real charity,” Hussain expanded. “‘Giving away’ is the wrong word. We actually ‘hand over’ children to needy parents.”
Who Wants to Win a Baby?
The orphaned babies used in the bizarre game show were presented by the Chhipa Welfare Association, a charity that rescues abandoned babies. Its organiser, Muhammad Ramzan Chhipa, explained: “We have lots of babies that are just abandoned, left in the garbage or other dirty places. Often we just find the bodies. Our message is to tell people to bring their babies to us and not just abandon them.”
“We didn’t just ‘give’ the baby away. We have our own vetting procedure. This couple was already registered with us and has had five sessions with us,” he added. However, the couple did not know they would be handed a baby girl when they were invited to take part in the show.
The television channel Geo News has been castigated for allowing the winning of human prize to be authorised and broadcast.
Bina Shah, a journalist in Karachi, Pakistan, said the stunts were driven by advertising and viewing figures. “It speaks to the commercialisation of everything ... including religion,” she said, “Giving away a baby on television is the worst violation of media ethics I can think of.”
PICTURE: Hoopla