Salman Mirza sends legal notice to ARY News over false allegations

Pakistan cricketer Salman Mirza legal notice has become the centre of a new controversy after the fast bowler formally sent a legal notice to ARY News and its sports correspondent Shahid Hashmi over what he described as false and defamatory allegations broadcast on television.

According to the legal notice dated March 12, 2026, Mirza has accused the broadcaster of publishing a report that allegedly claimed he misbehaved with a female staff member at the team hotel during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka in Kandy. The report also suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board had fined the cricketer over the alleged incident.

The legal document states that these allegations are “false, malicious, and highly defamatory,” adding that the report has caused serious damage to Mirza’s personal and professional reputation.

The notice further points out that the Pakistan Cricket Board had already denied the claims through its official X (formerly Twitter) account. In that statement, the PCB described the report as “agenda-driven fake news targeting the character of our players” and warned that such reporting would not be tolerated.

Mirza’s legal team has categorically rejected the claims aired by the channel, stating that no such incident ever occurred and that no disciplinary action or fine was imposed on the cricketer by the PCB.

The notice also accuses the broadcaster and the reporter of failing to verify the facts before airing the story, arguing that the publication of unverified claims has brought reputational harm not only to the player but also to the Pakistan cricket team.

As part of the legal demands, the notice calls on ARY News and the reporter to immediately retract the report from all platforms, including television, websites, and social media channels. It also requires the reporter to withdraw his statements and publish a clear and unconditional apology.

In addition, the notice seeks PKR 100 million in damages for the alleged harm caused to Mirza’s reputation and goodwill. The broadcaster has been given seven days to comply with these demands, failing which the cricketer may initiate legal proceedings in court.

Mirza himself shared the development on social media, posting a screenshot of the notice and writing that a legal notice had been sent to ARY News and the journalist for making false allegations and spreading unethical news.

The channel has not yet issued an official response to the legal notice.