Coronation Street fans know Qasim Akhtar as Zeedan Nazir, but the actor has now opened up about a painful experience. After spending months dealing with false claims that damaged his reputation and affected his family.
Now, Akhtar has finally spoken out after receiving a public apology from The Sun. Scroll down for more information.
Qasim Akhtar Opens Up About False Claims
Qasim Akhtar played Zeedan Nazir in Coronation Street from 2014 to 2018. He later returned to the ITV soap in 2021 and stayed until 2023.
Last year, however, the actor became the subject of false allegations. The Sun claimed that Akhtar had “backed” and “teamed up” with Islamic cleric Uthman ibn Farooq. The newspaper also claimed that he had “moved to Pakistan” and “trained with guns.”
Those claims have now been withdrawn. The Sun issued a formal apology, saying: “these allegations were entirely false and should never have been published.”
After the apology, Akhtar said that “justice has been served publicly and I’m thankful that the truth has been acknowledged and my name has been cleared.”
Coronation Street: The Actor Shares How It Affected Him
Akhtar shared a long message on Instagram, where he spoke honestly about the difficult months he has faced. He wrote: “The last 6 months of my life have been very tough to say the least.”
He continued: “Some of you may or may not be aware that in November of last year upon returning from performing my Umrah (pilgrimage), an article was published about me with false allegations that deeply affected me, my reputation, my family, my safety and my peace of mind.”
The former Coronation Street star said he has always tried to represent his faith in a positive way. He wrote: “I have always tried to represent my religion with good character, humility and sincerity. I have never intentionally said or done anything concerning, worrying or harmful.”
With the public apology now made and the false allegations officially withdrawn, Qasim Akhtar has chosen to move forward with forgiveness instead of resentment. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Coronation Street spoilers and behind-the-scenes updates.