Nida and Yasir Nawaz face backlash over son Balaj's viral tv appearance
Nida Yasir and Yasir Nawaz have come under criticism on social media after their son, Balaj, appeared alongside them on a recent morning show.
While the family's light-hearted conversation entertained viewers, the discussion soon shifted online as many social media users questioned Balaj's fluency in Urdu and debated the importance of teaching children their mother tongue.
During the show, Nida asked Balaj about his father's role in helping him get ready for school. Before he answered, Yasir jokingly reminded his son that they were on live television and should speak carefully, drawing laughter from the audience.
Balaj then shared that his father wakes him up every morning by opening the window and sitting on the sofa until he gets out of bed.
As the conversation continued, Balaj occasionally paused while speaking Urdu and switched between Urdu and English. Seeing him hesitate, Nida encouraged her son to use English words whenever he felt more comfortable, assuring him that there was nothing wrong with mixing both languages.
Soon after the episode aired, clips from the interview went viral across social media, where many viewers criticised the couple over Balaj's apparent difficulty expressing himself in Urdu.
Several users argued that while learning English is important, children should also be encouraged to learn and speak their mother tongue.
Others pointed out that many children growing up abroad speak both English and their native language fluently, questioning why local children should be any different.