Student who criticised CM Maryam’s advertisements says she's received threats

The student of a private educational institution who criticised Punjab's Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Shairf's promotional advertisements during a talk show has said that she has received threats and is being censured for sharing her opinion.

A few days ago, a clip from a talk show went viral online, where the student questioned the dynastic politics in Pakistan. She criticised how women from privileged backgrounds continue to dominate the political landscape, while women from grassroots levels face imprisonment and other political challenges.

She was referring to PTI female workers, currently imprisoned in several cases and Aaliya Hamza, who was also a panelist on the show.

When she criticised Maryam Nawaz's involvement in politics due to her political background, the host asked her, "What do you feel when you see Maryam Nawaz's advertisement on TV?" 

The student responded, "We don't even watch it; we avoid it," prompting laughter from the audience.

When the journalist pressed further, asking what she does if a picture of Maryam Nawaz appears on TV, she replied, "We switch the channels."

After her video went viral, the student shared a message stating that she has been facing threats.

"If I disagreed with some actions and criticised them, then I don’t think there is anything wrong with it; it comes under constructive criticism," she said. "The problem isn't just with her promotion, but also with her taking credit for projects initiated by the Buzdar government."

She further emphasised that criticism is her constitutional right and that she should not be threatened for sharing her opinion.

Recently, the Punjab government issued a 60-page advertisement to highlight the one-year performance of CM Maryam Nawaz. However, the promotion received sharp backlash from political analysts and journalists, who equated it to self-projection at the expense of public funds.

Some also criticised her for undermining the credibility of her government with such publicity stunts. Newspapers also faced backlash for publishing a barrage of government ads, which undermined her own reputation.