'I'm a human, not angel': Nida Yasir apologises after delivery-rider controversy

Popular morning show host and former actor Nida Yasir has sought forgiveness, saying she is “a human, not an angel,” and that humans sometimes fail to express properly what they feel or intend to say.

The TV personality said the same happened with her when she shared a “bad experience” regarding food-delivery riders.

“My mistake was that I made the wrong choice of words,” she said, adding that such slips are possible in day-to-day conversations.

Nida, who once again found herself at the centre of controversy, said she was extremely sorry and never intended to hurt anyone.

So what exactly happened?

During a live transmission, while discussing issues related to home-delivery services with a guest, the morning show host blamed delivery riders for deliberately not carrying change to “swindle” extra money from customers.

“The food-delivery riders would never have the change. You can tip them regardless, but for those who lie about not having the change, I make them wait while my driver fetches it,” she had said, proudly describing her way of “teaching the riders a lesson” by delaying their next deliveries.

Her remarks not only offended people in the sector but also triggered online criticism from netizens, who accused Nida of lacking empathy for underpaid gig workers who spend long hours trying to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, others argued that Nida’s interpretation was misplaced because delivery apps explicitly notify customers to keep the exact amount ready when placing orders.

After days of online buzz, Nida finally responded to the criticism, insisting she never intended to hurt anyone or target the entire rider community. She added that the mistake happened “on a live show, not a recorded one,” where it could have been edited or clarified.

She said she had shared her “bad experience regarding the riders,” but should have clearly mentioned that “some riders” follow the practice of not keeping change, not the entire community.

“I’m not here to hurt anyone. I appear on screen as I am, and I have emotions like anyone else. I am a human, not an angel, and sometimes we fail to convey with words what we have in our hearts, and it gets interpreted differently.”

She concluded by directly addressing the riders watching her, saying she wanted to apologise sincerely.

“I repeat that not every rider is like the ones I referred to. It was just my experience, and I never intended to disregard their struggles or hurt them. Please forgive me for my mistake,” she added.