PKonweb News Monitor
In their quest to produce a western-style adventure and thrill-based reality show in Pakistan, but poor, substandard and possibly lack of safety arrangements led to the death of its participant Saad Khan, victim’s cousin Mansoor Khan told Aarpix.
Saad lost his life during the recording of the reality show when host Amina Sheikh (model for Clear Shampoo) challenged him to an underwater performance contest. Saad Khan apparently lost his control and shouted for help but lack of safety and lifeline measures failed to rescue him and the young man, a father of four lost his life, report said.
The blame goes to the producers (sponsors?) of the show Unilever Pakistan and Mindshare, for hiring such a sub-standard team and having made cheap arrangements that became the cause of the death, said Aarpix.
To what extent the private TV channel where the reality show was to be run is involved in its making is also not clear.
For now, the mainstream media has rejected to air any such news as they get a fair amount of advertising revenues from Unilever, Aarpix commented, adding, the spokespersons of the two companies have been shamelessly calling the incident a mere accident.
Mansoor Khan, the cousin of the victim has demanded that “all concerned people of Unilver Pakistan and Mindshare must be put behind bars.” He wants that the culprits who gambled with the life of his cousin must be brought to justice.
It is not known if the commonly practised concept of establishing life and accident related insurances for participanting individuals and workers of the reality show were in place during its filming and recording. No independent verification of the said report has been possible yet.
Meanwhile, details of the unfortunate incident continue to tweet on the internet sociables like Twitter, Facebook, etc..
No UNI LEVER IS NOT TO BE BLAMED. THIS GUY SHOULD HAVE PRACTICED
SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AND WEIGHED THE RISKS.
HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHETHER HE HAD THE PHYSICAL PROWESS TO PULL SOMETHING OFF LIKE THIS.
We will wait for a while and see how unilever responds to it. If they did go the legal way and did not bear their social responsibility we will start a boycott their products campagin against them by making comics on each of their products and making spoof ads of each of their products to help build the awareness and aid the boycott.
a small glimpse can be seen in the link below.
http://paksatire.com/2009/08/29/unilever-mindshare-clear-reality-show-becomes-cruelty-show/
Please join the Facebook Group, Say NO to reality shows, For MUHAMMAD SAAD KHAN
Basic Info
Name: Say NO to Reality Shows
Type: Common Interest – Beliefs & Causes
Description: Reality shows around the media world have become very popular. In a quest to make thrilling, adventurous and exciting programs the producers, sponsors, directors, media managers, risk the life of un-trained & un-skilled participants.
This is a pure act of playing with a precious human life. This facebook page marks a start of a campaign against all such entities who organize and sponsor such events for cheap publicity & monetary kick backs.
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?appid=2530096808&src=box&tid=125880517398&u=http%3A%2F%2Fteeth.com.pk%2Fblog%2F2009%2F08%2F28%2Fsaad-khan-unilever-mindshare-accident#/group.php?gid=125880517398
More importantly, as many people should post the news on their FB status and tweet it up… and try to get this through via journalist friends.. youtube etc
I doubt Mansoor is Saad’s cousin. He has blocked anyone who has tried to approach him regarding the incident. Probably someone who just wants some air out of the whole thing….even more shocking!
Thanks. We hope so too that justice is served if rule of law prevails…it is a big if though…
The international media has picked up the story. Adage especially at http://tinyurl.com/l8vd3v.
Good going PKonWeb. Pakistani new media has proven that companies will have to answer to the people, no matter what now.
Let’s hope justice is served.