ARY News issues apology over Kashif Abbasi’s Jan 21 show

One of the country’s leading news channels, ARY News, has issued an apology over the January 21 episode of its flagship show “OFF THE RECORD”, saying that the opinion of host Kashif Abbasi had nothing to do with organisation’s policies.

As per the details, journalist and TV host Ashfaq Ishaq Satii, who is currently hosting the programme, concluded Monday’s episode with the clarification that Abbasi had on the Jan 21 episode shared his personal opinion that the channel does not endorse.

“If anyone’s feelings were hurt, the organisation apologises for it,” he added.

The apology comes a little over a week after Abbasi was allegedly taken off-air for criticising the government. During his Jan 21 show, Abbasi had mocked the ruling coalition and opined that the constitution, which politicians often took pride in, had been “murdered”. He had gone on to paint Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership as the culprits.

“In this country, the constitution has been murdered and buried, and everyone has a hand in its demise,” Abbasi had said, adding that politics of power had caused the most harm to the country.

“We are an unfortunate nation where, for political gains, even the sanctity of privacy and honour was trampled upon,” he had said, alleging that it had become routine to abduct women and daughters from their homes, all for political motives. 

He had questioned how anyone could talk about the constitution and human rights in an environment where elections could not take place, given that it was not suited to the political situation in the country.

Emphasising that parliament was supposed to be the protector of human rights and the constitution, he had said that laws in the country were being made at will. “Parliament is a rubber stamp. Lawmakers blindly pass legislation.”

“An inauguration plaque should be placed on the joy of hybrid system that was started in 2018, and now the incumbent government facilitated it by offering their shoulders,” he said, alleging that politicians don’t care about the parliamentary system anymore.

“Democracy is losing its case; politicians’ sacrifices are for power, not for the people,” he had added.

It merits a mention that earlier reports had claimed Abbasi’s show was taken off the air for reporting on a development organisation’s report describing the 2024 election as “unprecedentedly rigged” with “vote-rigging, fraud and manipulation”.

Abbasi, on the other hand, released a statement claiming that he had taken a personal leave.

With the channel now issuing an apology, it may be noted that it is not the first time that Abbasi has been taken off the air. 

In January 2020, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had banned the broadcast of Abbasi’s programme for 60 days following then Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) minister Faisal Vawda's action of putting a military boot on the table.