Ansar Abbasi urges arrest over viral TV stunt

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 15 April 2026 |  JP Staff Report

Ansar Abbasi urged legal action after a viral Morning with Fiza clip showed host Fiza Ali lifted on-air, sparking debate over broadcast suitability; the April 13 footage drew mixed viewer reactions and a response from Fiza on Instagram.

Summary

ISLAMABAD— Senior journalist Ansar Abbasi has called for legal action against those involved in a segment of Morning with Fiza aired on 24 News, reacting strongly to a viral clip showing television host Fiza Ali’s husband lifting her onto his shoulder during the broadcast. The incident, which circulated widely on social media on April 13, has triggered debate over broadcast content standards and on-air conduct in Pakistan’s media.

According to posts shared online, the clip from the show quickly gained traction, prompting mixed reactions from viewers, with some describing it as light-hearted and others criticizing it as inappropriate for television broadcast. Fiza Ali later addressed the controversy on Instagram, stating that the moment was a “lighthearted spontaneous gesture” with no negative intent behind it.

Viral clip sparks online debate

The footage continued to circulate across social media platforms, where users debated whether the segment reflected evolving entertainment norms or a lapse in broadcast discipline. While some defended the moment as unscripted and harmless, others raised concerns about its suitability for a family television audience.

In a post on X, Ansar Abbasi condemned the broadcast, calling it “shamelessness” and urging authorities to take action. He wrote that such content contributes to societal moral decline and called on the government to intervene. Abbasi also tagged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in his post.

خدارا اس بے شرمی بے غیرتی کو روکیں👇۔ایسی آزادی اور ایسی انٹرٹینمنٹ معاشرہ کے لیے بہت بڑا فتنہ ہے۔ حکومت اس بے حیائی اور بے غیرتی کو فوری روکے اور ذمہ داروں کو گرفتار کرے۔@TararAttaullah@CMShehbaz@reportpemrahttps://t.co/yj5TMBZwpV

— Ansar Abbasi (@AnsarAAbbasi) April 13, 2026

Political and assembly reaction

The controversy also drew commentary from political figures, including Punjab Assembly MPA Hina Parvez Butt, who criticized the on-air behavior, stating that such conduct was inappropriate for national television and could negatively influence younger audiences. She emphasized the importance of maintaining decorum in media content, particularly when broadcast to a wide public audience.

The incident has renewed discussion around broadcast standards, content oversight, and the balance between entertainment and responsibility in television programming. It also highlights the growing impact of social media amplification, where short clips can quickly escalate into national debates involving journalists, politicians, and regulatory bodies.

WHY THIS MATTERS: For Pakistani journalists and media professionals, the incident underscores the increasing scrutiny of entertainment content and the speed at which on-air moments can escalate into regulatory or political debates. It also reflects the growing role of social media in shaping public perception of broadcast standards. Newsrooms may face heightened pressure to balance creative content with stricter editorial judgment in an increasingly sensitive media environment.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available posts on X by Ansar Abbasi and Instagram statements by Fiza Ali (April 2026).

PHOTO: A screenshot from 24 News broadcast