Onetime demon fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar found himself out of PTV after his on-air run-in with host Dr Nauman Niaz, whose failure to apologize for some remarks about Mr Akhtar made him feel he had no option but to walk out of the studio. Mr Akhtar has made a career for himself as an analyst and media personality since he hung up his boots in 2011 (after taking 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 wicket sin 163 one-day internationals), and was a worthy successor of the chain of fast bowlers that was started by the present Prime Minister, Mr Imran Khan.
That he could be left feeling humiliated by the host of the programme, Dr Nauman Niaz, whose association with cricket is murky; the only clarity being that he never played even first-class cricket. There has even been some speculation that PTV was bothered by Mr Akhtar not giving it exclusivity, and merely used the spat with Dr Niaz as an excuse to do what it did.
PTV clearly pays more attention to Dr Niaz, for he was only removed from the programme he hosts on the personal intervention of Mr Khan himself. However, he could be said to have had his revenge, as PTV sent Mr Akhtar a notice of Rs 10 million for breach of contract. Dr Niaz has issued an apology to Mr Akhtar, but Mr Akhtar is still involved in a battle with PTV.
Instead of taking a more conciliatory path, a prized sports host and one of its most high-profile analysts, PTV has chosen to add fuel to the fire. Such an incendiary role is not expected of the PTV being a publicly run national television channel. The Legal notice that has been served to Mr Akhtar, in the context of what transpired on air with Dr Nauman, indicates a callous attitude on party of PTV. A matter that could have been handled internally should have been dealt as such. There seems to be a political angle to the entire episode that speaks to the way PTV is being run.
