With current conditions in the country, male patriarchal norms have caused another innocent soul to depart this world. Sana Yousuf, a young TikTokker who hailed from Upper Chitra, was shot dead in the federal capital by an assailant.
The merciless murderer shot Sana Yousuf because he couldn’t take no for an answer. Many celebrities such as Mishi Khan and Aymen Saleem, blame the Pakistani drama industry for fueling toxic masculinity and glamourizing entitlement.
Glamorizing Abuse
Challenging the Pakistani drama industry with regressive plots that harm young minds. Aymen Saleem posted a story stating, “Enough is enough. I’m deeply disturbed by the way a recent drama is portraying abuse, tying up a woman with ropes, showing it in a romantic or bold light, and then normalizing it as part of a love story”.
She added, “This isn’t entertainment; it’s dangerous storytelling. In a country where women already face so much within marriage, patriarchy, emotional and physical abuse, societal pressure, media has the power to either reinforce or challenge toxic norms”
Highlight the domestic violence and patriarchal entitlement that women go through, Aymen Saleem emphasized that such plots only disrupts young mind towards negativity and following the steps of wrong-doings.
Corrupting Young Minds
Due to the merciless murder of Sana Yousuf against rejection of so-called masculinity, the murderer killed her under toxic masculinity. Aymen stated in her story, “Just yesterday, I spoke about how our TV dramas romanticize abuse, glorifying control and reinforcing patriarchal mindsets. Today, a young girl has been murdered for simply saying no. This is exactly what I was talking about. A culture that mistakes control for love breeds entitlement, and that entitlement turns violent.”
Moreover, Pakistani TV actress and host Mishi Khan took her stance against “alarming rise in violence and inappropriate content” in recent Pakistani drama “Mast Malang”. She called out PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) for unduly check and balance permitting such violent and inappropriate serial to spread negativity.
In a strongly worded public statement, Mishi Khan questioned whether PEMRA was “asleep” as she criticized the drama for promoting toxic masculinity and glamorizing brutality under the guise of romance. She warned, we are continuously seeing negative heroes being glorified, and it’s affecting viewers, especially the youth.
Similarly, a list of Pakistani dramas including Mast Malang, Rah-e-Junoon, Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi, and much more corrupts young minds. These dramas have glamorized the concept that if a woman says no, men are entitled to achieve her by any means, objectifying them. These scripts have led to the loss of many young girls facing domestic violence, acid attacks, and victims of abusive or forced marriages.
When stories on screen begin to glorify control, entitlement, and abuse as symbols of love, the impact goes far beyond fiction, it shapes real-world mindsets. The brutal murder of Sana Yousuf for simply saying “no” is not an isolated tragedy; it reflects a culture where rejecting male dominance is met with violence.
Pakistani dramas like Mast Malang and Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi dangerously normalize this mindset by portraying toxic male behavior as romantic heroism. If the media continues to sell abuse as passion and rejection as a challenge, then Sana won’t be the last innocent life lost. It’s time the industry takes responsibility before fiction continues to fuel fatal realities.
