Afghanistan’s Islamic Council of Scholars is trying to ban Indian soap operas from being aired in the country because the council believes the shows promote un-Islamic behavior, according to the San Francisco Chronicle

I don’t see how Indian soap operas can be harmful to the Afghani people, or how excessive close ups on women with cake faces filled with make-up is going to make the country un-Islamic. As corny as the soap operas are, I have to admit, that I have suffered from an addiction to them. I used to tell myself it was only to be up to date on the latest trends and because women always wore amazing jewelry, but the corny dialogue and the dramatic special effects were really what kept me watching.

True, the soap operas are usually predictable love stories, but these soap operas are about as clean as they get. Most of the women dress neither too conservative nor too revealing.
The most intimate an unmarried couple will get is possibly to hold hands, and for a married couple, a hug or a peck on the forehead is the most affection shown.

The Afghani people are leading tough lives, so there’s no harm for them to watch a soap opera as an hour’s escape from the real world. And whereas most soap operas are dramatic romance stories, there are also Indian comedy shows too that can bring a good laugh to people. The Islamic Council needs to focus on more immediate, important issues in the country than worrying about a few soaps corrupting the society. – Maahum Chaudhry