Watch: PTI, PML-N leaders exchange punches on set of live TV show

A fistfight broke out on Wednesday between Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ikhtiar Wali Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Naeem Haider Panjutha during a live appearance on a private news channel. A video capturing the brawl has since gone viral on social media.

The confrontation commenced when Ikhtiar Wali Khan raised questions about who is the father of Tyrian White, allegedly the daughter of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who the former Premier has not officially acknowledged.

 
“[…] Nawaz Sharif has no character. He was an absconder while Imran Khan stood firm,” Panjutha shouted. “Who is Tyrian? Who is Tyrian?” repeatedly asked the PML-N leader in reply. 

Ikhtiar repeatedly pressed Panjutha on the matter and referred to Tyrian as Khan’s illegitimate daughter. When Panjutha retaliated with harsh remarks against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif; the PML-N leader lost his temper, leading to the physical altercation. 

Ikhtiar and Panjutha can be seen throwing punches at each other in the viral clip, and the fight only ends when crew members rush to intervene and defuse the situation.

Meanwhile, political talk show host Fizza Akbar constantly urged both politicians to calm down.

Minutes after the physical brawl, the PTI leader, in an interview, stated that if anyone talks negatively about Imran Khan’s family, he should be ready to face the consequences.

The PML-N leader took to X (formerly Twitter) hours after the physical brawl, saying, “A PTI leader hurled abuses, and then I raised my hand. They hurl abuses at the daughter of my leader in front of me, and we respond with arguments? That would be cowardice.”

It was not the first time that politicians have engaged in physical altercations on a television show. 

On September 2023, PTI’s Sher Afzal Marwat and PML-N’s Senator Afnan Ullah came to blows after exchanging hot words during the recording of a talk show. 

After exchanging harsh words, both politicians started throwing punches at each other. The clash became so intense that both leaders ended up on the floor. TV staff had to step in to separate the two. 

In June 2021, a similar incident occurred when Firdous Ashiq Awan, who is currently out of the political scene after leaving PTI to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), slapped Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Member National Assembly (MNA) Qadir Khan Mandokhail.

Things became heated when the PPP leader mentioned Awan’s comments about the train tragedy; in a press conference shortly after, she had allegedly said that “by the Grace of God” this was the first train accident during the PTI's rule.

“Your statement was akin to pouring salt on someone’s wounds,” he said, to which Awan claimed that her statement had been misconstrued. From there, the two continued to butt heads as the host watched on. When arguments turned heated, Awan physically attacked and slapped Mandokhail.