Overview
- Saba Faisal made remarks about changing attitudes to divorce during an appearance on Samaa TV’s talk show Gup Shab that circulated widely on social media, prompting the current debate.
- Several high-profile figures criticized her comments on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, with Hira Khan posting on Instagram that Faisal 'needs help' and Zoya Nasir calling the remarks a 'dangerous and twisted narrative.'
- The exchange escalated when Faisal’s daughter, Sadia, replied to critics online and other users defended Faisal as describing a social trend rather than celebrating divorce.
- Dr Ejaz Waris offered a conciliatory view, saying divorce should not be celebrated while noting that both sides of a family can share grief, and he urged respect for elders in public debate.
- Coverage has broadened the conversation to long-standing barriers in Pakistan such as social stigma, economic dependence and safety risks for women, and observers say the dispute could increase pressure on media to handle talk-show discussions of marriage and separation more carefully while people watch for any formal response from Faisal.