Ahsan Iqbal was speaking about negotiations with PTI and was participating in the program via video call. At around 11:16 pm, an unidentified person suddenly appeared. While continuing his conversation, Ahsan Iqbal looked up at the individual. Moments later, the person’s voice was heard saying, “Shut it down, shut it down.” He then attempted to snatch the mobile phone. In apparent panic, Ahsan Iqbal quickly picked up the phone, and the call was disconnected.
The sudden incident also unsettled anchor Waseem Badami, who asked whether Ahsan Iqbal had been participating in the program from his home. He instructed his team to find out what had happened, after which the show went into a commercial break. After a break of approximately seven minutes, Waseem Badami returned live on air but did not comment on the matter involving Ahsan Iqbal.
Following the break, Ahsan Iqbal did not rejoin the show, and the panel of guests had changed. PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, journalist Athar Kazmi, and Aamir Ilyas Rana became part of the program.
Later, at 11:46 pm, Ahsan Iqbal rejoined the show. When asked by Waseem Badami, he said, “There was just some… issue, but everything is fine now.” (The word after “some” could not be clearly heard.) Waseem Badami stated that he would not seek further details at that moment.
Where Ahsan Iqbal was between 11:16 and 11:46, what exactly happened during those 30 minutes, and who was responsible for the inappropriate behavior during the live program remain unclear.
