ISLAMABAD: A live programme on Suno News took an ugly turn when anchor Dr. Fiza Akbar Khan told politician Sanaullah Khan Masti Khel that he was treating U.S. President Donald Trump as his “abba,” an Urdu term for father used here as a jibe implying undue loyalty.
The exchange came during a segment on U.S.-Pakistan relations. Masti Khel objected to the remark, asked the anchor to take it back, and shot back that Trump “would be your abba” before walking out of the studio.
A short video of the incident, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a users, has been viewed more than 180,000 times. The clip has set off a flurry of discussion over the tone and conduct of political talk shows in Pakistan.
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Several journalists and media professionals criticised Dr. Fiza’s choice of words, saying it reflected a lack of training and respect. Journalist Batool Rajput said such language was unfit for a news anchor, while investigative reporter Waseem Abbasi called it unprofessional behaviour. Human rights activist Shehr Bano described the comment as “low-minded and filthy,” praising Masti Khel for leaving rather than engaging further. Fauzia Kalsoom, a producer at Aaj News, warned that such remarks could even invite a response from the U.S. embassy.
Some viewers, however, defended the anchor, arguing she was calling out political subservience. Dr. Fiza later said she had used “abba” as a respectable term and accused her critics of hypocrisy.
