Ataullah Tarar says the children rushed into the study unexpectedly, the reason given by Iqbal for the disturbance
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Friday sought to quell speculation after a brief and unexpected interruption during his live television interview the previous night sparked widespread debate on social media, calling on commentators to refrain from attaching political motives to the incident.
The interruption occurred on Thursday evening when Iqbal joined a current affairs show hosted by anchor Waseem Badami via video link on a private news channel. As the minister spoke about negotiations between the government and the opposition, the live discussion was abruptly interrupted.
During the broadcast, an unidentified person, not visible on screen, could be heard shouting in an aggressive tone, “Shut it up,” moments before the minister’s connection was cut.
The sudden breakup sparked concern in the studio, with the host expressing uncertainty over what had happened.
“I hope everything is okay. I don’t know what just happened,” Badami said on air. Iqbal then joined the program and assured viewers that “everything was fine.”
Despite clarifications made during the broadcast, clips of the incident circulated widely online, fueling speculation that the disruption may have been politically motivated.
Addressing the subject on Friday morning, the Planning Minister explained to X that “a brief interruption occurred during a live broadcast when someone nearby, arguing, was unaware that I was live.” “I resumed the interview shortly after,” he added, urging commentators to “avoid any unnecessary politicization of this topic.”
This clarification follows a message from journalist Ajmal Jami, who said he personally spoke to the minister after watching the clip.
“He (Iqbal) said that there was a family gathering at his Islamabad residence when some children unexpectedly entered his office. He joined the show soon after,” Jami’s post said.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also stepped in to dispel speculation, confirming that he too had spoken to Iqbal.
“The kids came into the office unexpectedly. Everything is fine and he joined the show,” Tarar said.
