Niaz, Akhtar taken off air after on-screen spat

State broadcaster says investigation is under way

The Pakistan Television (PTV) on Thursday decided to take sports show host Dr Nauman Niaz and bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar off air after their on-screen spat made headlines across the country.

Former Pakistan speedster Akhtar quit live on air after facing “rude and obnoxious” behaviour from the host Dr Niaz during a show on PTV Sports. Reacting to the development, the state broadcaster on Wednesday formed a committee to probe the incident.

“It has been decided that Niaz and Akhtar will be taken off air until the inquiry is completed,” the state broadcaster said in a statement shared on Twitter. The decision came after increasing pressure from social media to remove the show host.

It added that the investigation was under way.

The PTV administration said that neither of the two would be allowed to participate in any PTV programme until the inquiry was completed and all the facts become clear.

Later, the PTV News shared another statement related to the matter of quitting the show.

“Both Shoaib Akhtar and Dr Nauman Niaz are contracted talent/employees of PTV. None of them can end job contracts unilaterally, they need to follow a legal procedure to submit resignation,” it read.

In a post-match show, after Pakistan’s win over New Zealand on Tuesday night, Akhtar and the show’s host, Niaz, were involved in a verbal spat while discussing the impact of Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Programme (PDP) on pacers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf’s performance.

Read Celebs defend Shoaib Akhtar following spat with Nauman Niaz

“You’re being a little rude and I don’t want to say this: but if you’re being over smart, you can go. I am saying this on-air,” Niaz told Akhtar before switching to a commercial break.

Shoaib and Niaz remained on air after the break but the former eventually decided to leave the show after apologising to the other guests, which included cricket greats like Sir Vivian Richards and David Gower.

“A lot of apologies guys, a lot of apologies. I am resigning from the PTV. The way I have been treated on national TV, I don’t think I should be sitting here right now. So, I am resigning. Thank you very much,” said Akhtar before leaving the set.

Later, Akhtar explained the incident on his official Twitter account through a brief video and a couple of tweets.

“Multiple clips are circulating on social media so I thought I should clarify. Dr Noman was obnoxious and rude when he asked me to leave the show. It was embarrassing especially when you have legends like Sir Vivian Richards and David Gower sitting on the set with some of my contemporaries,” read one of his tweets.

“I tried to save everyone from embarrassment by saying I was pulling Dr Noman’s leg with this mutual understanding that Dr Noman will also politely apologise and we will move on with the show, which he refused to do. Then I had no other choice.”

Many former cricketers and other celebrities from different fields tweeted in favour of Akhtar, saying that a national star shouldn’t have been treated like this.