The Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) administration on Thursday barred anchor-person Nauman Niaz from hosting the show and decided to take him off-air, after he misbehaved with former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in a live transmission.
As per the sources, PTV has taken the decision on the recommendation of the inquiry committee which was formed by PTV in order to investigate the matter.
Sources further reveal that a meeting was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of MD PTV to review the incident involving Shoaib Akhtar and Nauman Niaz.
Nauman Niaz was immediately barred from hosting the show, at least until the investigation completes. Additionally, the committee decided to summon Shoaib Akhtar as well to probe about the matter further.
However, Shoaib Akhtar has refused to appear before the inquiry committee by stating that, “Whatever happened is out there for everyone to see. [The committee] can make the decision after watching the videos [of the show].”
Two days earlier, former speedster Shoaib Akhtar ignited a controversy after he walked out of a television show Tuesday night following disagreements with the host, cricket commentator Nauman Niaz.
Akhtar, during the live programme for T20 World Cup on PTV Sports, said he “resigned” as a cricket analyst of the channel and walked off after Niaz called him “rude”, adding the former paceman was “free to leave” the show if he wished so.
The problem began when Akhtar apparently ignored the line of questioning by the host and decided to talk about pacer Haris Rauf, which annoyed Niaz who accused him of “misbehaving with him”.
Akhtar was asked whether Pakistan made a mess of the chase against New Zealand. He did not agree and, ignoring the line of questioning by the host, decided to talk about Rauf and chose to lavish praise on Lahore Qalanders, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, and its coach, Aaqib Javed for discovering and nurturing the bowler.
“This is the guy who deserves all the credit. It was Lahore Qalanders who gave us Haris Rauf,” Akhtar said, pointing towards the former Test pacer, as Noman tried to interrupt him.
The host, clearly annoyed and irritated, told Akhtar he had been “misbehaving with him” and he would not tolerate that and in such circumstances, it was better if he left the show and then went for a commercial break.
Following the break when the transmission resumed, there was more drama when Akhtar said he would like to “close the unpleasant incident” but demanded an apology from the host first who did not budge and started discussing the game.
A few minutes later, Akhtar turned to his fellow experts on the panel and, after apologising to them, announced his resignation from PTV Sports.
“My apologies for this but I am resigning immediately from PTV Sports as I have been insulted and treated badly on live television in front of the nation,” he said.
He subsequently got up, took off his microphone, and left. Host Niaz did not attempt to call him back and showed no reaction at all and carried on with the show as normal.
After video clippings of the incident went viral on social media, Akhtar took to Twitter to give a video statement.
“Multiple clips are circulating on social media so I thought I should clarify. Dr Nauman was obnoxious (sic) and rude [when] he asked me to leave the show,” he tweeted.
“It was embarrassing especially [when you] have legends like sir Vivian Richards and David Gower sitting on the set with some of my contemporaries and seniors, and millions watching.
“I tried to save everyone from embarrassment by saying I was pulling [Niaz’s] leg with this mutual understanding that [he] will also politely apologise and we will move on with the show, which he refused to do. Then I had no other choice,” he added further.
Nauman too took to Twitter to explain his version of the incident.
The other guests on the show including cricket greats Sir Vivian Richards, Gower, Rashid Latif, Umar Gul, Rashid Latif, Javed and women’s cricket team captain Sana Mir were clearly shaken by the incident.
The episode had caused an uproar on social media with politicians, journalists and media persons coming to the former cricketer’s defence and criticising Niaz for his behaviour.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said a committee will be formed to probe the incident and subsequently the PTV administration had formed an inquiry committee.
Senator Faisal Javed, who heads the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, had also regretted the incident and announced that he would take up the issue before the committee.
He had chided PTV for going completely off track and called on the state broadcaster to restore its legacy.
“It’s not only about our heroes, it’s also about our prestige & dignity. It’s also about our state broadcaster. Very unprofessionally handled. When everyone is praising Pak & acknowledging it’s tremendous performance in World Cup why would you do it? Respect your heroes,” the senator had tweeted.
