Veteran host Fakhr-e-Alam triggered a massive public backlash after cracking an unethical joke about former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi during the high-profile Multan Sultans PSL auction.
Fakhr-e- Alam remark was brief. The damage was instant.
Within hours, social media erupted. Critics slammed him for mocking incarcerated leaders. The pressure became so intense that Fakhr-e-Alam was forced to lock his Instagram account . Here is exactly what he said. Why it crossed the line. And how Pakistan responded.
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The Joke That Backfired
It happened at the Lahore Expo Center. The PSL franchise auction was underway. Bidding for Multan Sultans shattered records at Rs2.45 billion . Wali Technologies won the bid. The CEO announced the team would relocate from Multan to Rawalpindi . Fakhr-e-Alam, hosting the event, was visibly excited. He exclaimed:
“How did your heart change? You’ve pulled off something extraordinary!”
The company representative replied playfully: “You’ve worked magic.” Then came the line that ignited everything. Fakhr-e-Alam fired back, dripping with sarcasm:
“The last person who performed magic isn’t doing so well these days, so don’t drag me into it!”
Why It Stung
The remark was not vague. It was targeted.
“The last person who performed magic” was a direct reference to Bushra Bibi. The phrase “isn’t doing so well” pointed clearly to Bushra Bibi. Both are currently imprisoned. Both face multiple legal cases. To millions of Pakistanis, this was not humour. It was mockery of a former prime minister and a first lady behind bars. Critics called it unethical. Insensitive. Classless.
Public Outrage Forced Him Offline
The backlash was swift and unforgiving. Social media users flooded platforms with condemnation. Hashtags trended. Screenshots of his remark spread rapidly. Within hours, Fakhr-e-Alam locked his Instagram account . The move was widely seen as damage control. He did not issue an apology at the time of reporting.
The Bigger Picture
This incident reflects a growing pattern. Public figures increasingly use coded ridicule targeting political prisoners. Each time, they test the line between satire and cruelty. This time, the public drew the line. Fakhr-e-Alam learned the hard way: some jokes are not funny. Some remarks carry consequences. His locked account is proof.
