Pakistani Anchor Offers Apology and Reveals Source of Babar Azam Chat Leak Controversy

In a recent tumultuous turn of events, the private chat leak involving Babar Azam , Pakistan's cricket captain , and PCB COO Salman Naseer has ignited a firestorm of controversy. Outrage reverberated across the cricketing world as several former cricketers castigated the media channel responsible for breaching the privacy of Pakistan's cricketing icon. Pakistani television anchor Waseem Badami, closely associated with the dissemination of the chat, publicly acknowledged the grievous error committed by his broadcasting team at ARY News and extended a heartfelt apology to the public.

However, in an unexpected twist, Badami disclosed that the initial decision was to refrain from broadcasting the private chat on television. The pivotal moment that swayed the course of events was a video message from PCB chief Zaka Ashraf , who seemed to have played a decisive role. Notably, the controversial WhatsApp conversation between Babar Azam and Salman Naseer gained widespread attention, with Salman questioning Babar regarding his communication with Zaka Ashraf during the World Cup. Babar vehemently refuted these claims, asserting that he had not contacted the PCB chief.

Badami explained the dynamics behind the unfortunate incident, stating, “We have to make a lot of quick decisions when we produce a live show. A lot of people are involved in it too. Naturally, some decisions prove to be right and some wrong. As a team, we made a wrong decision, sharing Babar’s chat with a senior PCB official. In short, we were sitting together and deciding an hour before the show that we shouldn’t make a private chat public."

What transpired next was a revelation that took many by surprise. Badami disclosed that it was the PCB chief, Zaka Ashraf, who had exerted influence on the broadcast team, encouraging them to showcase the Babar Azam chat on live television. "About five to seven minutes before the show, we received a clip where Zaka Ashraf is saying: 'I am giving you this screenshot and I am asking you to show it live on screen.' Ashraf also gave us permission to share that. He was taking responsibility on TV; we thought we could share it. But it wasn't the ideal decision," Badami revealed.

He continued, "We conveniently forgot that Babar Azam's consent was also important. I'm saying this on behalf of my team and the management. I am not proud of it, we are not proud of it. When something like this happens, you learn from it and try not to repeat the same in the future." The incident serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges involved in the realm of live television production.