Nida Yasir opens up about ‘humiliation’ following Rabia Obaid’s Good Morning Pakistan walkout
Host and actor Nida Yasir, a guest on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast, still isn’t happy about fellow host Rabia Anum Obaid’s on-camera walkout during an episode of Yasir’s show Good Morning Pakistan last year.
Obaid was invited to Yasir’s morning show on ARY News in November 2022. However, midway through the live broadcast, she walked out in protest against sharing the stage with Mohsin Abbas Haider, who had been accused of domestic abuse by his former wife. Obaid stated that she couldn’t endure the entire show, as facing her friends and colleagues and standing up for other women’s rights would become challenging.
Her act of walking off garnered widespread public praise and sharing her perspective on X (formerly Twitter), she expressed hope that harassers and abusers would not be given the chance to be celebrated as heroes.
The discussion about the incident was initiated on the podcast when Butt inquired whether the on-air walkout was premeditated, to which Yasir clarified that it was not planned.
Talking about the show, Yasir said, “She [Obaid] said she found out in the morning who would be the guest alongside her on the show. We have one makeup room where all our guests are present so she knew who was arriving. She could have consulted with me in private but she didn’t. She had spoken with my team but not with me because I was on set. She could have taken a stand behind the camera.”
The actor emphasised her role as a host, stating that she refrains from making accusations and focuses solely on respecting everyone as artists, without delving into their personal lives or conduct towards others.
Yasir said that the walkout left her feeling humilated, and Obaid was never invited back on the show.
The night the podcast aired, Obaid shared on her Instagram story that she wouldn’t comment on the podcast and urged people to focus on more critical issues in the world.
“You want to make a news about my statement? Make it about what I have been posting and tweeting about Palestine,” she implored.