EXCLUSIVE: Fawad reveals why he is no longer friends with Mubasher Lucman

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, who made headlines for slapping journalist Mubasher Lucman on Sunday, has shared as to why is he no longer friends with the anchor he was once seen sharing rather fun moments with.

“It was Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s maiden interview and only six journalists could be invited for it,” Fawad said in an exclusive conversation with The Current, as he started to shed light on how it all started.

The former information minister said that senior anchorperson Kamran Shahid was coincidentally present in the federal capital at the time of Imran’s first interview as the country’s chief executive, and was invited. “Mubasher got upset because he was excluded,” Fawad said as he explained what later became a bone of contention between the two.

When asked if journalists and politicians should be friends, he said the two should be like “colleagues”.

Fawad further said that he would discuss the issue on the floor of the National Assembly later in the day, which he was doing by the time this report was filed.

FAWAD SLAPS MUBASHER:

On Sunday, the federal minister slapped the anchor during a spat over Lucman’s allegations against Fawad regarding TikTok star Hareem Shah.

According to reports, Geo News bureau chief for Lahore, Raees Ansari, said the event took place at the wedding reception of Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Laghari’s son. The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leaders, Jahangir Tareen and Ishaq Khakwani, were also present at the event.

Ansari revealed that Tareen and Fawad were talking about the allegations that Lucman had levelled on the minister during a TV show, salaciously linking the federal minister to Shah, who recently made headlines after accusing government officials, including lawmakers, of sending her indecent pictures.

It was at that moment that Lucman arrived at the event, triggering a war of words between him and Fawad over the issue. The federal minister reportedly protested against the claims, later slapping and shoving the anchor. The altercation stopped when people intervened and broke up the fight.

Soon after, both Fawad and Lucman left the event.

Chaudhry tacitly admitted to the act, slamming the TV anchor on Twitter, saying: “People like Mubashir Lucman have nothing to do with journalism… they are [sexual slur] who have barged into journalism.”

“It is everyone’s duty to expose [such journalists],” he tweeted.

FIR AGAINST FAWAD:

Meanwhile, Lucman, who had refrained from publicly commenting on the incident, has submitted an application to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the minister.

According to Dawn, Lucman, in his application submitted to the Model Town police station late Sunday night, said he was attending the event along with Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar, Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Tareen and various federal and provincial ministers.

He said he was talking to his friends when Fawad attacked him along with 10-12 of his “mussala ghundas (armed goons)”.

“They subjected me to severe violence,” the anchorperson said, adding that after threatening him of serious consequences and of murder, they left the site of the incident.

He claimed that prior to this incident, the federal minister had called and threatened to have him killed if he did not stop his allegations.

Lucman further stated in the application that a case should be registered against Fawad and others, while the federal minister says he would move the cyber-crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against the journalist.

As per an application submitted to Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) by the minister’s protocol officer, an FIR against the journalist for defaming and threatening Fawad, as well as his protocol officer, has also been sought.

The protocol officer has also accused Lucman and his accomplices of stealing his wristwatch.

Repeated attempts were made to contact journalist Mubasher Lucman, but he was unavailable.