Maryam Nawaz Rebukes Safdar Over Derogatory Women Remarks
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has publicly voiced dismay over remarks by her husband, Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, about women who advocate bodily autonomy. Her response came on X, where she answered a post that criticised Safdar for mocking women who face serious illness. The exchange stands out because a sitting chief minister has openly broken with her own husband on a matter of public speech about women.
Safdar made the remarks at a Khatm-e-Nabuwwat rally in Chiniot earlier this week. At the rally, he attacked the slogan “mera jism, meri marzi”, which translates as “my body, my choice”. The slogan has been used by women campaigners in Pakistan to assert control over their own bodies and choices. Safdar’s attack drew sharp criticism online, where users said his words mocked women who are fighting disease and hardship.
The post that drew her response
Maryam replied to an X post which said: “Maryam Nawaz’s husband, Captain Safdar, also lost his mother-in-law to cancer, yet here he is mocking women who are battling cancer.” The post framed Safdar’s remarks as hurtful to women facing illness, and it drew wide attention on the platform. Maryam chose to answer it directly, rather than leaving the criticism unaddressed.
Her reply spoke about the private struggles many women carry. She wrote: “The silent battles a woman, a wife, fights behind closed doors … The strength she must find even when she feels like breaking. Some battles are fought in silence and some wounds are invisible.” The words did not name Safdar, but their timing and context left little doubt about what she was answering. Readers shared the reply widely, and it became the focus of the debate.
Why a public break matters
Chief ministers rarely comment in public on remarks by members of their own family, and they do so even less often when the remarks have drawn political criticism. Maryam’s reply therefore carried weight beyond the words themselves. It signalled that she did not wish to be seen as endorsing language that demeans women, even when that language came from her husband.
Bar councils condemn remarks about Asma Jahangir
Separately, on Saturday, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the outgoing Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) executive committee strongly condemned Safdar for calling late lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir “cursed” at a rally. Jahangir died in 2018, and she remains one of the most widely respected figures in Pakistan’s legal and rights circles. The two bodies said his words had wounded the legal community and crossed a line in public speech about a person who is no longer alive to answer.
PBC Vice Chairman Pir Muhammad Masood Chishti urged authorities to take immediate notice and initiate appropriate legal action. He said: “The use of disparaging language and references to her religious identity to malign her is highly regrettable and deserves strong condemnation.” He added that remarks against a deceased woman unable to defend herself were particularly “deplorable and reflects a lack of decency and respect”. His statement framed the issue as one of decency as well as law.
The SCBA executive committee said: “These remarks are highly condemnable and have deeply wounded the sentiments of the entire legal community.” It described Jahangir as “a devout Muslim who dedicated her life to justice, humanity, and the rights of all people, without discrimination.” The association said differences of opinion must never become a pretext for personal attacks, hate speech, character assassination or religious intolerance. It added that Jahangir’s services to the legal fraternity, human rights and the rule of law deserve respect.
What the two reactions show
| Voice | Position |
|---|---|
| Maryam Nawaz | Public dismay at remarks about women; spoke of silent battles and invisible wounds |
| Pakistan Bar Council | Condemned remarks about Jahangir; urged immediate notice and legal action |
| Supreme Court Bar Association | Called remarks condemnable; defended Jahangir’s record and faith |
What happens next
Frequently asked questions
What did Maryam Nawaz say about Safdar’s remarks?
She voiced dismay on X and wrote about the silent battles a woman fights behind closed doors, and about wounds that remain invisible.
What did Safdar say at the Chiniot rally?
He attacked the slogan “mera jism, meri marzi” (my body, my choice) at a Khatm-e-Nabuwwat rally in Chiniot earlier in the week.
Why did the bar councils condemn Safdar?
They condemned him for calling late lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir “cursed” at a rally, and said the remarks wounded the legal community.
Has any legal action been taken against Safdar?
The Pakistan Bar Council urged authorities to take immediate notice and initiate appropriate legal action, but no such action had been reported at the time of publication.
