Talat Hussain says offensive viral clip was edited out, not aired on Samaa TV
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 2 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD—The management of DawnNews Television has said the way the interview of Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, the missing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader was recorded in the channel's studio was being reviewed and a statement would be issued later.
On Thursday night, there were rumors on social media that Abbasi, who has been missing, was brought to the Dawn office at Zero Point in Islamabad, where his interview was recorded. It was to be broadcast on Thursday night, but it did not go on air.
The official Twitter account of PTI said Sadaqat Abbasi is under detention and would now be forced to confess about leaving Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The news of the interview comes a day after another missing PTI leader Usman Dar appeared in the talk show of Kamran Shahid and announced his dissociation from the party and held its chairman Imran Khan responsible for the May 9 events. The airing of Dar’s interview, recorded at the Kamran's home, has been severely criticized. On this part, Shahid said he was doing his journalistic duty.
Adil Shahzeb recorded Sadaqat’s interview. BBC said it tried to contact Shahzeb but could not speak to him as his contact numbers were switched off.
A senior member of the channel's management has confirmed that the interview was recorded and said that the channel management is currently examining how the interview was recorded.
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
November 04, 2025 Journalist Rana Ayyub receives death threats over calls demanding a column on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as CPJ urges swift action to protect journalists in India.
November 04, 2025 TV8 journalist Mariana Rata in Moldova receives a death threat after interviewing politician Renato Usatii on-air, raising concerns about journalist safety.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.