Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has intervened in the controversy involving veteran actor Mohammed Ahmed, condemning the way Ahmed was treated on a drama serial set as both unacceptable and deeply regrettable. In a significant development, Tarar proposed establishing a mentorship programme for emerging television actors, to be led by experienced performers like Ahmed. Alternatively, he suggested forming a council with a similar purpose. He plans to convene a meeting with TV artists soon to collect their input on this initiative.
The controversy escalated after a video circulated on social media showing actor Fahad Sheikh and other cast members laughing while a small handheld fan was directed at Ahmed’s hair. This clip emerged shortly after Ahmed publicly revealed that he had been mocked by a much younger co-star during the production. On Sheeba Khan’s Dareecha podcast, Ahmed recounted being ridiculed in the green room by an actor approximately forty years his junior. He explained that the lead actor had raised his voice in front of others and mentioned that he had once assessed Ahmed’s acting skills early in their collaboration before deciding he was fit for the role.
Ahmed also described an incident on set where the same actor took a portable fan from a colleague and held it up to Ahmed’s hair as if styling it, loudly announcing this to everyone present. Ahmed refrained from reacting at the time, aware that such moments could be recorded and shared out of context. The video now in circulation aligns with his account.
Several prominent industry figures, including Faysal Quraishi and Shamoon Abbasi, publicly supported Ahmed and urged the unnamed actor to come forward and apologise.
In response, Fahad Sheikh addressed the issue via Instagram stories, emphasizing that partial narratives can be misleading. He described the set as a close-knit environment where cast members joke, share meals, and discuss concerns together. Sheikh highlighted his longstanding working relationship with Ahmed, characterized by friendly banter, and expressed surprise that his joke was interpreted as bullying. He stated that colleagues throughout his eleven-year career had treated him warmly, like family.
Sheikh confirmed that he had privately apologised to Ahmed before the video gained public attention and expressed willingness to repeat that apology publicly out of respect for Ahmed’s seniority. He extended an additional public apology in case the earlier one was insufficient and asserted that he would pursue legal action against those who shared edited footage to mislead viewers.
The video also drew criticism from actor Nadia Jamil, who described the behaviour as troubling. She stressed that there are boundaries younger people should observe when interacting with elders, even in jest, and that these limits should be taught from childhood. Jamil noted Ahmed’s visible discomfort in the clip and condemned whoever posted the video for exacerbating his embarrassment instead of protecting him.
