"I want to apologise to them."
Nida Yasir issued a public apology on her morning show after facing intense backlash for comments about Foodpanda riders.
However, the controversy still continues because netizens argue that her behaviour, not her phrasing, was the real problem.
The television host opened the latest episode of Good Morning Pakistan by acknowledging that her earlier remarks had been poorly worded.
Nida explained that the live format sometimes leads to unfiltered reactions.
She told viewers that she shared a personal incident that had frustrated her.
However, Nida admitted that she should have clarified that she was referring only to certain individuals and not the entire community of delivery riders.
The host emphasised that she never intended to offend workers trying to support their families.
She added that most riders perform their duties with honesty and determination under very challenging circumstances.
“There are so many riders; in fact, the majority of the riders are working very hard to make ends meet. I am not sitting here to hurt anybody.”
Nida said that live television often leaves little room to reconsider tone, which is why she regretted how sharply her story may have sounded to people directly affected.
In her closing remarks, she directly addressed riders who felt hurt and expressed appreciation for their daily struggles.
“Many rider friends of mine were hurt, I want to apologise to them.
“I salute the hardworking riders. I didn’t mean to make light of their struggles.”
However, the criticism she received was not rooted simply in how she phrased the story but rather in the actions she confidently recounted during the original broadcast.
Nida had previously described how she believes some riders intentionally claim they do not have change, which she interpreted as a tactic to receive extra money.
She said that when she suspects this behaviour, she instructs her driver to bring change from elsewhere.
According to Nida Yasir’s account, she deliberately makes the rider wait, fully aware that the delay may cause issues for their next delivery.
Her explanation suggested this was done to teach them what she considered a needed lesson.
Adding to the frustration was the fact that the Foodpanda application already warns customers beforehand to keep the required change ready so that transactions remain smooth.
Many viewers found it deeply insensitive and disconnected from the on-ground realities faced by the workers.
Loading ...