BBC apologises over making gaffe by confusing Imran Khan with Wasim Akram

LONDON – As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is leading the majority of seats in the National Assembly during July 25 elections, the international media is giving special coverage to Imran Khan highlighting his career.

A piece documenting the journey of the PTI chief, the incoming prime minister, was also broadcast by Newsnight, the flagship show of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), aired on BBC2 channel, after polls in Pakistan.

But, it made a blunder by confusing Imran Khan with another retired Pakistani all-rounder in Wasim Akram. In the footage, the BBC showed Akram demolishing a batsman's stumps instead of showing the right-handed all-rounder in action.

The gaffe by highlighted by people on social media subsequently the British media outlet tendered an apology on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/PrasannaBanana/status/1022235663800909824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geo.tv%2Flatest%2F205109-bbc-apologises-over-imran-wasim-mix-up

https://twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1022237831866007552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geo.tv%2Flatest%2F205109-bbc-apologises-over-imran-wasim-mix-up

In the meantime, a Twitter-user posted a tweet about BBC blunder and tagged Shaniera Thompson, the wife of Wasim Akram. The user wrote, “Your husband is about to be the Prime Minister of  Pakistan. Congrats.”

https://twitter.com/Dostm23/status/1022422598414729221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1022422598414729221&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crictracker.com%2Fwasim-akrams-wife-replies-with-a-pinch-of-humour-after-a-blunder-by-bbc%2F

The wife of the former cricketer had a humorous reply in store. She wrote, "He said he was only going to Lahore to vote!".

https://twitter.com/iamShaniera/status/1022427716426063879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1022427716426063879&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crictracker.com%2Fwasim-akrams-wife-replies-with-a-pinch-of-humour-after-a-blunder-by-bbc%2F

At the end of the show, Evan Davis, a presenter, said, “We made a mistake in our opening tonight. The footage we showed was of the cricketer Wasim Akram, not Imran Khan. Don’t know how that happened, sincere apologies.”