Pakistani TV channel fires actor from 'talk show' following domestic violence charges

Tariq Butt, Staff Reporter

Dunya News will no longer be working with Pakistani actor and singer Mohsin Abbas Haider, the channel announced, adding that they will be dropping him from their line-up of hosts on their talk show "Mazaaq Raat."

In a statement issued on its Instagram and Twitter accounts, Dunya News stated that it has decided to remove Haider from the Mazaaq Raat brand and roster owing to the serious nature of charges levelled against him as well as the overall situation that has deeply hurt the feelings of the public.

"After the audience has made its sentiments very clear and spoken out about the issue on various platforms, Dunya News has decided to dissociate from Mohsin Abbas Haider."

The channel further stated that until Mohsin is able to clear his name and prove his innocence, Dunya News will not be working with him anymore.

FIR REGISTERED

Meanwhile, the Lahore police have registered a case against Mohsin after a week-long fight between him and his wife Fatema Sohail on social media.

The FIR has been registered under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code and included charges of hurling life threats on the complainant.

The case was registered a day after both of the parties appeared before the police and submitted their written statements besides evidences to prove their stance.

In the FIR, Sohail alleged that some four years back, Mohsin turned offensive towards her over some issues and misbehaved with her on several occasions.

It also transpired that he had some illicit relations with a woman, she alleged and stated that he had asked her to bring money from her parents to run a business.

She said her father gave her Rs5 million, which she handed over to Mohsin. Sometime later, when she asked Mohsin about the business and the payment, he abused her and threatened her of dire consequences. She alleged that Haider had pressurised her to bring Rs5m more from her parents and on refusal to do so, he started beating her.

On Nov.26 last year, she claimed, she caught him red-handed while cheating on her and when confronted, he subjected her to torture, leaving many injuries on her face and other parts of body despite knowing that she was pregnant. She said on July 17 this month, she went to his house in Defence Housing Authority to demand from him her money as she had already decided to go for separation.

At this, Mohsin manhandled her and she called her brother on the spot who rescued her when her husband was about to shoot her with a weapon.

She asked the police for recovery of her payment and action against Mohsin on the basis of medical examination report she had already submitted with the police. A police source said Mohsin had got pre-arrest bail from the court.