DIGITAL economy has found a market for almost everything, including the most intimate corners of human life. Marriage, once regarded as a deeply personal covenant, is increasingly repackaged as a form of online entertainment. Private conversations become viral clips, domestic conflicts become serialized drama and the painful disintegration of relationships becomes content designed to capture attention in an economy where every click has monetary value.

Pakistan registered approximately 85,000 divorce cases in 2023, around 91,000 in 2024 and well over 100,000 in 2025. Comprehensive province-wise and district-wise national statistics remain limited, but the available figures point to a clear upward trend. Family courts across the country have experienced a steady increase in divorce, khula, maintenance and custody cases. In Rawalpindi alone, more than 15,000 family-related cases were registered during 2025, while Karachi also recorded thousands of khula decrees during the same period. These examples illustrate a nationwide phenomenon rather than isolated local developments. Behind every statistic lies a family in distress, emotional trauma, economic hardship and changing social expectations. What this growing social challenge is receiving instead, from a significant part of Pakistan’s social media ecosystem, is entertainment.

The pattern has become disturbingly familiar. Couples publicly celebrate their marriage, share every milestone online and when the relationship collapses, transform the breakup into content. Interviews,........

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