Television host Javeria Saud has landed in legal trouble after an Eid transmission segment sparked controversy over the use of an incorrect childhood photo during a celebrity guessing game.

The father of a young girl, Faryal Hamid, contacted an entertainment media outlet and said that the image was taken from his wife’s public social media account and used without permission.

According to the entertainment media outlet that he talked to, he said, “My daughter’s name is Faryal Hamid. Her picture was used on the show to mock and disrespect Yumna Zaidi. The host Javeria and the guest showed my daughter’s picture, which was not Yumna’s childhood photo—it was actually Faryal’s, who is my daughter. A mistaken, fake, and stolen identity was used, resulting in defamation of character. This is a serious matter. It also raises concerns regarding sensitive safeguarding, which I have brought up. Legal action will be taken from our side.”

The incident took place during a private channel’s Eid special last week, where celebrities participated in a lighthearted segment identifying stars from childhood pictures. The segment featured images of Mahira Khan, Iqra Aziz, Sajal Aly and Atif Aslam, along with one photo that was presented as actress Yumna Zaidi’s childhood picture.

Guests, including Yasir Hussain and Nausheen Shah, attempted to identify the individuals. During the segment, Javeria Saud commented on the guessing game and reacted to the image being linked to Zaidi.

However, the picture shown on air was not Yumna Zaidi’s. The actress later addressed the issue on Instagram and rejected the claim.

Following the backlash, Javeria Saud issued an apology, saying the team used the image without proper verification after finding it on social media. She also expressed regret over the incident and apologised to Yumna Zaidi.