“This is not the temperament of the show,” host Muneeb Farooq kept saying, while trying to pacify his two warring guests on his program Aapas Ki Baat (22nd May). Well, that particular ship had sailed the instant the PTI’s Naeem-ul-Haq straight-up slapped the PML(N)’s Daniyal Aziz in the program!
Preceding the slap was a routine bit of tension that did not stand out of the norm. During that, Aziz had called Haq a chor, an epithet the PTI leader himself does not tire of using. But, as a result of the rush of chemicals that coursed through whatever passes off as Haq’s brain, the fellow slapped his co-panelist. Like an irritable toddler passing through the terrible twos.
It wasn’t an erudite discussion of ideas that was going on between the two fellows, but just the white-hot frothing-at-the-mouth that has unfortunately become the fare of our talk shows, especially when it comes to these two. In this aspect, one can’t help but blame Daniyal, because the well-educated man clearly knows better and has it in him to carry out a decent, substantive conversation, as opposed to the simian antics of Naeem-ul-Haq.
But, as much as anyone would like to dislike Daniyal Aziz, it was Haq that was clearly at fault here. Being the first to resort to physical violence automatically forfeits you any moral higher ground that you might have thought you had; the absence of a physical retaliation, which is what happened here, seals that deal.
Yet, in the hive-mind of the PTI’s supporters, Haq’s actions were something to be applauded. That is highly condemnable!
Here is what a popular Facebook fan page of the party had to say, “Tight Slap on Danial ( Ghaleez ) Aziz disgusting face by Naeem Ul Haq for calling him Chor on LIVE TV. These Moto Gang Jokers should be treated like this now! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”
It is unfair, of course, to blame parties for the language of unofficial Facebook pages, but the official stance isn’t peachy either. The Chairman has not commented on the issue, while Naeem-ul-Haq himself tweeted, “While it was an unfortunate spur of the moment reaction, Danial Aziz’s abusive language against PTI leadership and his attack on Pakistan army are regrettable unacceptable and condemnable. I hope he can mend his ways and stop spinning mistruths.”
On the mechanics and Muneeb’s helplessness: the show host sits for the show in Lahore. Guest analyst Iftikhar Ahmed was also in Lahore, with him. I don’t know where the PPP’s Nafisa Shah was sitting. But the two fellows under discussion were sitting together in Islamabad. Muneeb’s helplessness from afar was writ large on his face as he attempted to calm them down while they were (as demonstrated) an arm’s length away from each other.
On Geo: some have argued that the slap should have been edited out. It was a pre-recorded program, after all. Some have defended Geo’s decision of running it as it was. Once the decision to air it was taken, Geo probably decided to go the whole nine yards and publicise it. Its news bulletins started the promo from 8 PM. A jharrap between Daniyal Aziz and Naeem-ul-Haq; see the whole show! Less a leading channel and more a fight/betting promoter at an androon Lahore “gym.”
Post-script: in the immediate aftermath of the slap, when the two started a fever pitch of barbs, Daniyal asked Haq how dare he slap and why he was spitting on him. To this, Haq replied, “Sorry about that,” but not sorry about the other things. Haq has a strange code.
Post-post-script: Haq has been doing this a lot. A skirmish of his on an early Business Plus show always makes it to compilation videos that attempt to profile the uncouth nature of Pakistani talk shows.