Podcast host Ahmed Ali Butt’s decision to publicly side with Irshad Bhatti amid the Meera podcast controversy has not gone down well online, with social media users hitting back hard at the reasoning.

Taking to Instagram Stories, Butt shared what he called his “50 cents” on the matter, offering a point by point defence in favour of Bhatti and questioning why others were getting offended on Meera’s behalf.

“It was a paid podcast. Once you pay someone, you’re bound to oblige to the show’s format,” he wrote. 

He added that Bhatti is a renowned journalist known for his direct style, and that anyone agreeing to appear on his platform should know what they are signing up for. “One should know before taking the money for what show you’re committing,” he wrote. 

Butt also pushed back on the nature of the questions asked, arguing that they were not fresh allegations. 

“All questions he had were already public knowledge and nothing new,” he wrote. On Meera’s decision to walk out, he said it was entirely her choice but questioned the wider outrage. “Meera walked out, that’s her choice, but why is everyone else getting so offended as if you’re the one being questioned,” he wrote.

He also defended Bhatti’s conduct during the interview. “In that clip, Mr Bhatti kept a very modest tone and didn’t jump on his guest. Some of our TV show hosts are more shocking nowadays,” Butt opined. 

Internet users were having none of it.

Many zeroed in on the paid podcast argument, calling it a weak justification for what happened on air. 

“But how come it’s okay to humiliate someone for something which is already on the net,” one user wrote. Another pushed back directly: “She was there to promote her movie. Even if you have paid, she can still decide not to talk about certain things.”

Others questioned where basic respect fit into Butt’s logic. “Keep it to yourself. Even if it’s paid, he should have some respect,” one commenter said.

One user turned the argument back on Butt with a sharp challenge. “Next time go to his podcast and let him dig your nani’s past, and be OK with it too,” they wrote.

Several users felt Butt had misjudged the entire situation. “Meera acted with grace and decency while you proved yourself a moron,” one person wrote bluntly.

One comment cut through the whole defence with a single observation: “A podcaster is defending another podcaster.”

The controversy began after Meera appeared on Bhatti’s podcast to promote her upcoming film “Psycho.” 

The conversation quickly moved away from cinema, with Bhatti pressing her on past relationships and old controversies, including veteran actor and director Sangeeta’s claim that she had caught Meera and Saud “red-handed,” rumours of a marriage with Humayun Saeed, and her relationships with Captain Naveed and Atiqur Rehman. 

To each question, Meera’s response was the same: “I don’t know anything about what you’re saying.”

When Bhatti raised the matter of a hospital the actress had said she would build in her mother’s name, Meera replied: “Just watch my film. 

Everyone go watch Psycho.” She then unclipped her mic, stood up, and walked out. The clip spread rapidly online, with most people siding firmly with Meera.