The release of a private WhatsApp conversation between Pakistan’s cricket captain, Babar Azam, and a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sparked anger among internet users and former cricket players. Many consider this act a breach of privacy and unethical.
The controversy gained traction on social media, with former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif adding credibility to the reports. He alleged that the PCB management was ignoring Babar Azam’s messages. During a PTV Sports broadcast, Latif claimed that Babar had been attempting to contact PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf, Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, and Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla for the past two days but had received no response.
Read more:Aliza Sehar releases a statement following the leaked video call.
The matter was further discussed on a private news channel, which displayed an alleged WhatsApp chat screenshot between the two parties. The conversation suggested that Babar Azam had not been making calls to the Chairman, contradicting previous claims.
Former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali, appearing as a guest on the show, questioned the reporter about whether he had obtained Babar’s consent before making the private conversation public. The reporter Shoaib Jutt responded that, as a journalist, he did not require consent. This response drew strong criticism from netizens, who condemned both the TV channel management and the reporter for their “unethical” actions.
The show’s anchor, Waseem Badami, later issued an apology on behalf of his team and the TV management. He explained that the decision to air the alleged WhatsApp chat had been made hastily just minutes before the show. Initially, they had chosen not to air it but reversed their decision after coming across a video clip of the PCB chief, which seemed to grant permission for the chat’s broadcast. Badami admitted that this was a private conversation between two individuals and should not have been aired without consent. He expressed regret and pledged to learn from the incident, promising not to repeat such a mistake.
It was pointed out that the permission of the PCB chief was not relevant to the situation, as he was not one of the private individuals involved. An official statement from the PCB could provide clarification on the matter.
