Tarar proposes mentors for young actors

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has proposed launching a mentorship

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has proposed launching a mentorship programme for young actors following the controversy surrounding the alleged disrespectful treatment of veteran actor Mohammed Ahmed by fellow actor Fahad Sheikh.

In a statement shared on X, Tarar described the reported incident as “highly deplorable” and said respect for senior artists must remain a core value of Pakistan’s entertainment industry.

The minister said the proposed initiative would allow emerging actors to learn professional ethics, discipline and acting skills from experienced performers. He suggested that Mohammed Ahmed, given his decades-long contribution to television, would be well suited to lead the programme, or that a council of senior actors could oversee the initiative.

Tarar also announced that he would soon convene a meeting of television artists and industry stakeholders to seek recommendations on establishing the mentorship programme.

The controversy began after Mohammed Ahmed, during a recent podcast interview, recalled being mocked and humiliated by a younger lead actor while working on a television production. He described incidents in which the actor allegedly ridiculed him in front of colleagues and behaved disrespectfully during filming.

Although Ahmed did not initially identify the individual, videos circulating on social media later linked actor Fahad Sheikh to the allegations.

Responding to the criticism, Sheikh issued a public apology, saying that incomplete accounts of the incident had created a misleading narrative. He maintained that he had already apologised to Mohammed Ahmed privately before the issue gained widespread attention online.

Sheikh also offered another public apology, acknowledging Mohammed Ahmed’s seniority and expressing hope that the veteran actor would accept his apology. He insisted that he had never intended to insult a senior colleague.