The controversy involving former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar and PTV host Nauman Niaz is getting stretched with every day. Akhtar has now refused to acknowledge the apology of Niaz which he issued last week.

Niaz had apologized after asking Akhtar to leave during a cricket show on the PTV channel. In his response, the ex-cricketer resigned as PTV cricket analyst and walked out of the show. 

"I apologize and I will apologize a million times for my behavior which should not have happened because Shoaib Akhtar is a star," Niaz had said. "I had no right. To err is human and for that, I apologize. Not only once, but a million times. Shoaib has been a rock star. Whatever happened on camera was unbecoming," he further added.

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However, Akhtar has not accepted Niaz's apology and feels that the audience and the entire PTV staff are whom the anchor owes an apology to. "I had asked for an apology that evening, not now. I did not get it then so I left. 

"Now he no longer needs to apologize to me, he needs to do so to the institution of PTV for the brand getting hurt on national TV. He has to apologise to the people of Pakistan… not to me anymore. When I left the seat, I closed that chapter," he said on GEO Super News.

Akhtar further explained that he didn't want to escalate the situation on live TV and choose a higher path. The former Pakistan speedster also said that he never asked for an apology from Niaz.

"I could have fought with him and said a lot of things to him. Look at my strength. I could have done a lot of things. But I did not because I have chosen a higher path. This was completely against my nature. People who know me, also know this is not my nature. But I did this going against my nature," Akhtar said.

"After that episode, I never asked Nauman for an apology. I asked it only at that moment. If he would have done it, I would have closed the chapter and saved the brand of Pakistan TV, Pakistan sports and its name. Sir Vivian Richards was sitting there and there were a billion fans watching. Even India came to my support and showed no backlash."

(With GEO Super News Inputs)