Pakistani news channels have a notorious reputation for featuring verbal and physical fistfights that go viral on the internet. Recently, a similar video went viral on social media, showing a lawyer and a senator hurling profanities at each other and proceeding to trade blows with each other on live TV.
The two individuals have been identified as Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, ex-PM Imran Khan's lawyer from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Senator Afnan Ullah Khan, who belongs to Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
During a political talk show, the two individuals got into a heated argument after the Senator criticised Imran. After hurling profanities at each other, Marwat got up from his seat and attacked the latter physically.
After a few kicks and punches were exchanged before the duo, the TV crew present there had to intervene and separated them before any further damage could take place. Both leaders continued to verbally abuse each other after being separated.
After the video went viral, Senator Khan shared the video on social media platform X, saying that Marwat attacked him. "I believe in non-violence but I am Nawaz Sharif's soldier," he said.
"The beating that I gave to Marwat is an important lesson for all PTI and especially Imran Khan. They will not be able to show their face to anyone and will be forced to wear big dark sunglasses," he added.
On the other hand, Marwat in a post said that the TV show host was "spreading misinformation" about the "unpleasant incident". "He is spreading rumours that my opponent was a superman. He is not telling the reality which is that Afnan Ullah ran away from the studio and took shelter in a nearby room, which I came to know after watching his programme today," Marwat said. He also added that he plans to "initiate a defamation case and criminal complaint" the senator.
The widely-shared video of the fight caused netizens to come up with hilarious responses.
Previous occurrences in Pakistani media
In 2021, former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Abdul Qadir Mandokhel and then-PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan, who has since joined the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), were involved in a fight, reported Geo News.
The video of the incident went viral, in which the duo were seen getting into a heated verbal exchange on a television show. In the verbal duel during the show, Mandokhel accused Awan of corruption.
"During the talk show, PPP's Qadir Mandokhel threatened me. He insulted my late father and me by using abusive language. I had to take an extreme step in my defence," Awan posted on X, then called Twitter.
ALSO READ | Sheep in Greece get high on 100 kg cannabis, start jumping around like crazy during Storm Daniel
