Federal Minister for Planning and Development and senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal briefly disappeared from a live television interview on Thursday after his video link suddenly disconnected, but rejoined moments later and assured viewers that “all is well”.
During the interruption, a voice was heard saying “shut this down (bund karo isay)” just as the minister’s video feed went off air, sparking concern among viewers.
When Iqbal reappeared on the programme, the host welcomed him back and said viewers had been worried by the abrupt disruption, with many asking whether everything was fine. The minister responded by saying “all is well”, after which the host chose not to pursue the matter further and continued with the discussion, noting that only eight to ten minutes of the show remained.
Later, in a clarification shared on X, Ahsan Iqbal thanked those who reached out to express concern. He explained that the brief disruption occurred because someone nearby was having an argument and was unaware that he was live on air. He added that he soon rejoined the interview and hoped the incident would not be unnecessarily politicised.
The video clip of the interruption went viral on social media, prompting speculation and various interpretations. Some users on X claimed the video link had been deliberately cut, calling the incident unusual.
A journalist later posted that he had spoken directly to Iqbal, who clarified that a family gathering was taking place at his Islamabad residence when children unexpectedly entered his study, causing the disruption. He added that the minister rejoined the programme shortly afterward and that the host could verify the explanation.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar also confirmed speaking with Ahsan Iqbal, stating that children had unexpectedly run into the study during the live broadcast and reiterating that “all is well” and the interview resumed soon after.
