While speaking in Punjabi, Maryam denies playing ‘Punjab Card’

[Gharib Aadmi]

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz come down hard on her political opponents over allegations that she had been using the “Punjab Card” in an attempt to woo the people of the province.

Addressing a rally in Wazirabad ahead of PP-51 by-polls, Maryam dismissed the assertion that she was promoting regional politics by addressing the public gatherings in Punjabi. However, she insisted that she would not hesitate to raise the issues of the people of the province.

“Whenever I speak in Punjabi, I am criticised for using Punjab card… I am daughter of Punjab and will continue to speak for the rights of people,” she said. “I am daughter of Pakistan as well and whenever people in any area of the country face any issue, I will raise my voice for them too,” she added.

“But when it comes to snatching Punjab’s bread and flour and hike in the price of Punjab’s sugar, Maryam will stand with Punjabis with her heart and soul,” she said, while speaking in Urdu, interspersed with Punjabi.

The PML-N leader said that Punjab had been rendered orphan in the absence of top PML-N leaders, Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif. “[PML-N Supreme Leader] Nawaz Sharif will return and resolve all the issues,” she assured her supporters.

In her usual trenchant criticism against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Prime Minister Imran Khan, Maryam lampooned the ruling party for bad governance as well as rising inflation and unemployment in the country.

She asked the people not to vote for the PTI candidate in the by-polls. “If they [PTI leaders] ask you to vote for them, show them your electricity and gas bills,” she told the gathering. She added that people from all walks of life were struggling to survive due to the inflation caused by the government’s policies.

The PML-N leader reiterated her oft-repeated allegations that Imran was brought into power by “selectors” and mocked the prime minister of being the “most obedient person”. Referring to the alleged “selectors”, she added: “Don’t do this with Pakistan again.”

‘Millionaires and billionaires’

Earlier, talking to the media persons on route to Wazirabad, Maryam Nawaz spoke about a wide range of topics, including the distribution of Senate tickets by the PML-N and the PTI, as well as the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement’s anti-government campaign.

She said that the prime minister used to criticise the opponents, but now he himself had chosen “millionaires and billionaires” for the party tickets for the upcoming elections for the upper house of parliament.

“He [Imran] always criticised other political parties but had himself issued tickets to millionaires and billionaires,” she said. “He used to say that he has been struggling for the past 22 years. Has he found anyone worth giving the [Senate] ticket to in all these 22 years?”

On the contrary, Maryam said, “the PML-N has awarded Senate tickets to party workers and those who have struggled for the party”. Continuing, she added: Nawaz Sharif did not issue tickets to any billionaires.”

Responding to a question, the PML-N leader said that former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is the joint candidate of the PDM. “The opposition wants seasoned leaders get elected to the upper house.”

She mentioned that even the members of the ruling party were issuing statements one after the other over the senate tickets issue. “Keeping this situation in mind, I expect that the no-confidence movement will begin alongside the Senate elections,” she added.

She said that she would not go abroad and would not request the government for taking her name off of the Exit-Control List (ECL). “Maryam Nawaz will not go abroad, you will have to go,” she said, stressing that she would live in the country.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2284263/while-speaking-in-punjabi-maryam-denies-playing-punjab-card

Can speaking in Punjabi help Maryam win in 2023? The jaag Punjabi jaag card was effective for her father. The only two realistic canidiates are Imran Khan are Maryam.

 

[Slog]

“PML-N doesn’t play Punjab card”

 

[Mamoon]

So what if she did?

Imran also played the pakhtun card when it benefited him, and Maryam is a proper Punjabi unlike the zabardasti ka pakhtun Imran.

 

[Slog]

So what if she did?

Imran also played the pakhtun card when it benefited him, and Maryam is a proper Punjabi unlike the zabardasti ka pakhtun Imran.

Isn’t Maryam Kashmiri by blood. That’s what some PML-N supporters here claimed few years ago

 

[Bigboii]

Isn’t Maryam Kashmiri by blood. That’s what some PML-N supporters here claimed few years ago

yeah from 1800s they migrated
she is pretty much a Panjabi rn

 

[Mamoon]

Isn’t Maryam Kashmiri by blood. That’s what some PML-N supporters here claimed few years ago

Yes, but she is as much of a Kashmiri as Imran is a pakhtun.

Their families have been living in Punjab for generations and they were born and brought up in Punjabi culture and households.

 

[Bigboii]

Yes, but she is as much of a Kashmiri as Imran is a pakhtun.

Their families have been living in Punjab for generations and they were born and brought up in Punjabi culture and households.

Doesn't stop KPK from voting him into power with majority due to his identity politics

It's funny ah tbh I mean the guy speaks punjabi and don't even speak a word of pushto but his last name is doing all the work for him

It's like my third generation in US (with knowledge of urdu) trying to run election campaigns in I guess Karachi or something on identity politics

 

[King-Misbah]

So what if she did?

Imran also played the pakhtun card when it benefited him, and Maryam is a proper Punjabi unlike the zabardasti ka pakhtun Imran.

She is not a proper punjabi, wish the family did not migrate to Punjab as they have wrecked the country.

 

[Slim]

“PML-N doesn’t play Punjab card”

I dont understand - PMLN's leadership is Kashmiri. How does it comes back to "Punjabi card".

 

[Giannis]

So what if she did?

Imran also played the pakhtun card when it benefited him, and Maryam is a proper Punjabi unlike the zabardasti ka pakhtun Imran.

Not really, Kashmiri-Punjabis aren't considered proper Punjabi and we weren't allowed to own land during colonial times

Isn’t Maryam Kashmiri by blood. That’s what some PML-N supporters here claimed few years ago

Yeah she's Kaeshur (Kashmiri), only a 3rd generation Punjabi

yeah from 1800s they migrated
she is pretty much a Panjabi rn

Not really, Punjabi castes like Rajputs and Awans don't intermarry with us. Plus Punjabis don't eat Kashmiri dishes like Shab daeg and gushtaba that we grew up eating, our experiences are unique.

Yes, but she is as much of a Kashmiri as Imran is a pakhtun.

Their families have been living in Punjab for generations and they were born and brought up in Punjabi culture and households.

Imran Khan is more of a Punjabi, his forefathers came to Punjab 500 years ago as invaders while Maryam Nawaz's Great Grandparents were economic immigrants in the late 1800s

I dont understand - PMLN's leadership is Kashmiri. How does it comes back to "Punjabi card".

Yeah lol, it's funny cause all my relatives in old Lahore and Sialkot pride themselves on being Kaeshur but for poltiical reasons it makes sense to take advantage of the Punjabi identity, I guess more power to them.

 

[RickyG]

Let's be honest only people not allowed to use their ethnic card are Mohajirs from Karachi. Before people make this an MQM or Altaf thing, it's not. Karachi is a politicized city. One ethnic party doesn't even acknowledge it and it's predicaments. The other wants to control it by controlling the province and removing municipal powers. Together they underfund it and loot it. But you can't call them out because it's unpatriotic.

 

[Bewal Express]

So what if she did?

Imran also played the pakhtun card when it benefited him, and Maryam is a proper Punjabi unlike the zabardasti ka pakhtun Imran.

She can every card like she likes, but she is thick as her father and has nothing to offer to PK. Some idiot was saying that a leader could never come from poor background in PK because of these corrupt dynasties, all the while not understanding his own hypocrisy and stupidity in making the statements. I wonder if you know who that is?

 

[Giannis]

Let's be honest only people not allowed to use their ethnic card are Mohajirs from Karachi. Before people make this an MQM or Altaf thing, it's not. Karachi is a politicized city. One ethnic party doesn't even acknowledge it and it's predicaments. The other wants to control it by controlling the province and removing municipal powers. Together they underfund it and loot it. But you can't call them out because it's unpatriotic.

Uh what do you mean not allowed? They've run on that plaform for decades, also "Muhajir" is not an ethnicity there are so many different ethnic groups and communities and castes within the "Muhajir" umbrella and they don't all get along or intermarry with each other so there's no such as an "ethnic card"

 

[Giannis]

Anyways, it's quite impressive how diverse and inclusive west Punjab is - the Chief Minister is of Baloch descent, the Prime Minister of the country is from Punjab of Pakhtun descent and the biggest opposition leader from Punjab is of Kashmiri descent.

 

[Bigboii]

"Not really, Punjabi castes like Rajputs and Awans don't intermarry with us. Plus Punjabis don't eat Kashmiri dishes like Shab daeg and gushtaba that we grew up eating, our experiences are unique"

Butt shabs are punjabis dude
They are culturally part of Punjab I dont know what you guys consider yourselves but in Punjab Butts are considred "Kashmiri" in name only culturally they are part of punjab
But maybe thats just Punjab everyone becomes a part of it a cousin of mine came from Karachi as a little boy
Now he speaks urdu with a punjabii accent like a walled city guy - People get surprised when he tells tham that he is actually urdu speaking so culturally he is assimilated and thats punjab everyone becomes a part of it

But if you call him Urdu speaking in name only he'll get offended maybe thats the same with Kashmiris in Lahore
Sure they're assimilated and culturally feels like that theyre part of punjab ( to an outsider looking in) but calling tham Kashmiri in name only is a bit offensive

But the point was that assimilation in Punjabi culture is such that people(voters) identify with her "culturally" eventhough ethnically shes diffrent

@Gianis

(Dont know about Awans but Rajputs dont marry anyone outside of Rajputs they are just a weird sub culture of thier own)

 

[Giannis]

"Not really, Punjabi castes like Rajputs and Awans don't intermarry with us. Plus Punjabis don't eat Kashmiri dishes like Shab daeg and gushtaba that we grew up eating, our experiences are unique"

Butt shabs are punjabis dude
They are culturally part of Punjab I dont know what you guys consider yourselves but in Punjab Butts are considred "Kashmiri" in name only culturally they are part of punjab

Yes and no, those from Punjab know that Butt/Bhat is referred to people of the Kashmiri descended but those from outside Punjab just associate it with Punjabis due to our prominence that said, Butt is not the only Kashmiri kram (Caste) there's Lones, Dars, Mirs, Wanis, Sheikhs, Khawajas among other more unique surnames within our community, secondly yes culturally we have assimilated to a large degree but there are parts of our customs we've retained that only someone raised in a Kaeshur household would know especially when it comes to cuisine. What I meant was that we weren't considered proper Punjabis for a long time until recently with our rise to power, during colonial times Kashmiris weren't allowed to own property in Punjab except some areas, we weren't allowed to serve in the British Indian army unlike native Punjabis and Pahari people, also a lot of native Punjabis castes don't marry Kashmiri men like I stated before, of course that's changed and women have more freedom but there's a long way to go.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Can speaking in Punjabi help Maryam win more votes? Should IK start giving speeches in Punjabi as well?

Punjab has half the seats in parliament. You cant lose from their and win federal.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

I dont understand - PMLN's leadership is Kashmiri. How does it comes back to "Punjabi card".

Their power base is in Punjab, so they dont really need to run a campaign all across Pakistan. So playing the Punjab card might be effective for them to win a majority there, and therefore win in federal.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Doesn't stop KPK from voting him into power with majority due to his identity politics

It's funny ah tbh I mean the guy speaks punjabi and don't even speak a word of pushto but his last name is doing all the work for him

It's like my third generation in US (with knowledge of urdu) trying to run election campaigns in I guess Karachi or something on identity politics

Did PML N, PPP, ANP, and MMA not also have Pashtun candidates running in KPK?

Also people in KPK have voted for PPP, ANP, MMA. They gives chances to different parties unlike people in interior Sindh.

 

[observer1]

Regardless of who is in power, Paksitan will never realise its potential if the voterbase obsesses over ethnicity in 2021. Even worse, if they obsess over caste.

It really is a sad reflection on Paksistani society that people support these incompetent, shameless and selfish charlatans.

 

[moghul]

She doesn't have many cards to play with, let her try whatever she thinks might work for her.

 

[Slim]

Their power base is in Punjab, so they dont really need to run a campaign all across Pakistan. So playing the Punjab card might be effective for them to win a majority there, and therefore win in federal.

PMLN is being accused of playing the punjabi card when Sindh and KPK have always and forever voted on the basis of ethnicity? Remind me the last time the big bad punjabis voted on the basis of ethnicity? Let me help you - the answer is NEVER!

Punjabis by the virtue of being educated and not under some fake delusion of grandeur (KPK) have always voted for a party they felt is best for Pakistan.

 

[Bigboii]

PMLN is being accused of playing the punjabi card when Sindh and KPK have always and forever voted on the basis of ethnicity? Remind me the last time the big bad punjabis voted on the basis of ethnicity? Let me help you - the answer is NEVER!

Punjabis by the virtue of being educated and not under some fake delusion of grandeur (KPK) have always voted for a party they felt is best for Punjab.

And that's not a bad thing

 

[Slim]

And that's not a bad thing

Are you kidding me? Had this been the case why did Punjab vote for PPP (a Wadeera party) after Musharraf and then PTI (Filled with Pakhtoon Nationalists?) now? You guys are so deluded and want to put the blame of your woes on "big bad punjabis"

 

[Giannis]

Are you kidding me? Had this been the case why did Punjab vote for PPP (a Wadeera party) after Musharraf and then PTI (Filled with Pakhtoon Nationalists?) now? You guys are so deluded and want to put the blame of your woes on "big bad punjabis"

Lol how are they "filled with pakhtoon nationalists", pakhtoon nationalists don't like Imran Khan, none of the ethnic nationalists like him as they hate anyone and anything that strengthens Pakistan's federation and diverse identity; they would rather want someone they breaks Pakistan up and hands over land to Afghanistan.

 

[Slog]

PMLN is being accused of playing the punjabi card when Sindh and KPK have always and forever voted on the basis of ethnicity? Remind me the last time the big bad punjabis voted on the basis of ethnicity? Let me help you - the answer is NEVER!

Punjabis by the virtue of being educated and not under some fake delusion of grandeur (KPK) have always voted for a party they felt is best for Pakistan.

Voting for PML-N is voting for Punjabi. Literally voters have said we are voting for Nawaz as he is Punjabi.

This is like MQM voters saying they voted from Pukhtun candidates by voting for Babar Ghauri and Amir Khan.

 

[Giannis]

Voting for PML-N is voting for Punjabi. Literally voters have said we are voting for Nawaz as he is Punjabi.

This is like MQM voters saying they voted from Pukhtun candidates by voting for Babar Ghauri and Amir Khan.

Never heard a Punjabi ever say that, it’s more complicated than that

 

[Slim]

Voting for PML-N is voting for Punjabi. Literally voters have said we are voting for Nawaz as he is Punjabi.

This is like MQM voters saying they voted from Pukhtun candidates by voting for Babar Ghauri and Amir Khan.

This is rubbish of the highest order.

i) There is no mainstream ethno nationalist Punjabi party. PMLN is certainly not one, comparing MQM to PMLN is apple to oranges.

ii) Had punjabis only voted for punjabis, then PPP and PTI would have never come to power in the federation.

iii) Punjabis are sleeping, and have zero political clout.

 

[Slog]

This is rubbish of the highest order.

i) There is no mainstream ethno nationalist Punjabi party. PMLN is certainly not one, comparing MQM to PMLN is apple to oranges.

ii) Had punjabis only voted for punjabis, then PPP and PTI would have never come to power in the federation.

iii) Punjabis are sleeping, and have zero political clout.

PML-N is a Punjabi party. That is why it receives >90% of its seats in Punjab only and has almost next to no presence outside Punjab in terms of electoral success. Forget 2018; even 2013 when they supposedly had a national mandate, they won mostly in Punjab

 

[Slog]

Never heard a Punjabi ever say that, it’s more complicated than that

It’s literally on Tv and I’m sure maybe some YouTube videos where reporters go and ask people who they vote for. I think there were threads on it here only in 2017-18

 

[King-Misbah]

PML-N is a Punjabi party. That is why it receives >90% of its seats in Punjab only and has almost next to no presence outside Punjab in terms of electoral success. Forget 2018; even 2013 when they supposedly had a national mandate, they won mostly in Punjab

That's not a great argument tbh because Punjab does not always vote for them. Plus, the Sharifs and the top tier PMLN leadership are not Punjabi. The Punjabi rajputs, gujjars, jatts etc do not consider Kashmiris to be punjabi.

 

[Bewal Express]

This is rubbish of the highest order.

i) There is no mainstream ethno nationalist Punjabi party. PMLN is certainly not one, comparing MQM to PMLN is apple to oranges.

ii) Had punjabis only voted for punjabis, then PPP and PTI would have never come to power in the federation.

iii) Punjabis are sleeping, and have zero political clout.

What percentage of its seats come from Punjab?

 

[Waleed93]

The Punjabi card is not going to save her. Their reign over Punjab and Pakistan is over now, and all she can do is cry in front of empty chairs.

 

[Giannis]

It’s literally on Tv and I’m sure maybe some YouTube videos where reporters go and ask people who they vote for. I think there were threads on it here only in 2017-18

That's strange, Imran Khan's literally more Punjabi as his family's been there since the 16th century but I guess he doesn't brand himself as one.

 

[Slog]

That's not a great argument tbh because Punjab does not always vote for them. Plus, the Sharifs and the top tier PMLN leadership are not Punjabi. The Punjabi rajputs, gujjars, jatts etc do not consider Kashmiris to be punjabi.

That is poor argument on your part.

This is like saying senior MQM leaders like Babar Khan Ghauri and Amir Khan are Pashtun

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

PMLN is being accused of playing the punjabi card when Sindh and KPK have always and forever voted on the basis of ethnicity? Remind me the last time the big bad punjabis voted on the basis of ethnicity? Let me help you - the answer is NEVER!

Punjabis by the virtue of being educated and not under some fake delusion of grandeur (KPK) have always voted for a party they felt is best for Pakistan.

What about Jaag Punjabi jag, teri pagg noon laga daag? Was that not a play at the ethnic vote?

People of KPK and Baluchistan have done more ethnic voting than Punjab or Sindh. But both PPP and PML N resort to playing the Punjab card and Sindh card when in trouble.

 

[Giannis]

That is poor argument on your part.

This is like saying senior MQM leaders like Babar Khan Ghauri and Amir Khan are Pashtun

That's not comparable at lmaoo; those guys never really identify as Pashtun, neither is it really a subcommunity within the urdu speaking community and I don't like think they've retained any cultural ties that I'm aware of, I do have some Urdu-speaking Yusufzai relatives (through marriage) - pretty common though but there's nothing Pashtun about them. I don't think Pashtun nationalists even recognize them as Pashtun politicians unlike in the case with Kashmiri-Punjabis who have active ties with Kashmiri political movements.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

That's not comparable at lmaoo; those guys never really identify as Pashtun, neither is it really a subcommunity within the urdu speaking community and I don't like think they've retained any cultural ties that I'm aware of, I do have some Urdu-speaking Yusufzai relatives (through marriage) - pretty common though but there's nothing Pashtun about them. I don't think Pashtun nationalists even recognize them as Pashtun politicians unlike in the case with Kashmiri-Punjabis who have active ties with Kashmiri political movements.

Yes they do. Its a zaat called Pathan.

And since you have some pathan relatives who are Yusufzai, you can ask them. I mean if they know the tribe, they would certainly know that they are of pathan descent.

And of course they are not the same culturally as Pashto speaking Pashtuns. Same way Imran Khan or Salman Khan dont have anything left of pashtun culture.

Only thing about them that is Pashtun is normally people of pathan zaat have lighter shade skin color.

I don't think Pashtun nationalists even recognize them as Pashtun politicians unlike in the case with Kashmiri-Punjabis who have active ties with Kashmiri political movements.

Because their ethnicity is Urdu Speaking now. pathan is their zaat.

Same way Imran Khan is a Punjabi. But his Biradri is pathan.

They dont care about Pashto or preserving Pashtun culture, so why would Pashtun nationalist of all people see them as the same.

 

[Giannis]

Yes they do. Its a zaat called Pathan.

And since you have some pathan relatives who are Yusufzai, you can ask them. I mean if they know the tribe, they would certainly know that they are of pathan descent.

And of course they are not the same culturally as Pashto speaking Pashtuns. Same way Imran Khan or Salman Khan dont have anything left of pashtun culture.

Only thing about them that is Pashtun is normally people of pathan zaat have lighter shade skin color.



Because their ethnicity is Urdu Speaking now. pathan is their zaat.

Same way Imran Khan is a Punjabi. But his Biradri is pathan.

They dont care about Pashto or preserving Pashtun culture, so why would Pashtun nationalist of all people see them as the same.

I was just answering slog who was trying to equate some Urdu politicians with supposed Pathan lineage with Kashmiri-Punjabi politicians.

 

[Slog]

That's not comparable at lmaoo; those guys never really identify as Pashtun, neither is it really a subcommunity within the urdu speaking community and I don't like think they've retained any cultural ties that I'm aware of, I do have some Urdu-speaking Yusufzai relatives (through marriage) - pretty common though but there's nothing Pashtun about them. I don't think Pashtun nationalists even recognize them as Pashtun politicians unlike in the case with Kashmiri-Punjabis who have active ties with Kashmiri political movements.

Sharifs recognize themselves as Punjabis not Kashmiris. And Punjabis accept them as so.

You can’t play both sides of the argument per convenience.

These Babar Ghauris etc are ethnically Pathan but recognize themselves as Urdu speaking now. Same with Sharifs

 

[Slog]

Party wins >90% of its seats from Punjab. Party’s >95% senior leaders are Punjabi.

But but but said party isn’t Punjab ki party....

 

[Giannis]

Sharifs recognize themselves as Punjabis not Kashmiris. And Punjabis accept them as so.

You can’t play both sides of the argument per convenience.

These Babar Ghauris etc are ethnically Pathan but recognize themselves as Urdu speaking now. Same with Sharifs

They recognize themselves as both, they've said it many times and that's the way how most Kashmiri-Punjabis identify, a lot of their federal appointments were people from the community; Punjabis accept Kashmiri-Punjabis as Punjabis for the most part now and they would also accept Imran Khan but he doesn't brand himself as a Punjabi otherwise I've never heard Punjabi ever say Misbah ul Haq wasn't one of them just cause he's from the same tribe and town as Imran Khan. The Ghauris and whatever aren't exactly ethnically Pashtun but are more mixed at this point, Sharifs Grandparents from both sides are from Kashmir, he's barely second generation.

http://archive.indianexpress.com/ne...gets-voice-in-pakistan-power-circuit/1125778/

 

[Giannis]

Btw [MENTION=138463]Slog[/MENTION] the Ghauris derived from Ghaurids weren't exactly Pashtun, they're from central Asia and were mostly like Persians or as they call them "Khorasanis"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghurid_dynasty#Origins

 

[Giannis]

Party wins >90% of its seats from Punjab. Party’s >95% senior leaders are Punjabi.

But but but said party isn’t Punjab ki party....

However I do get the gist of your argument that they brand themselves and are perceived as Punjabis which works to their advantage electorally; I guess this is similar to the whole Kamala Haris/Barack Obama identification debate.

 

[Greenstorm]

"Not really, Punjabi castes like Rajputs and Awans don't intermarry with us. Plus Punjabis don't eat Kashmiri dishes like Shab daeg and gushtaba that we grew up eating, our experiences are unique"

Butt shabs are punjabis dude
They are culturally part of Punjab I dont know what you guys consider yourselves but in Punjab Butts are considred "Kashmiri" in name only culturally they are part of punjab
But maybe thats just Punjab everyone becomes a part of it a cousin of mine came from Karachi as a little boy
Now he speaks urdu with a punjabii accent like a walled city guy - People get surprised when he tells tham that he is actually urdu speaking so culturally he is assimilated and thats punjab everyone becomes a part of it

But if you call him Urdu speaking in name only he'll get offended maybe thats the same with Kashmiris in Lahore
Sure they're assimilated and culturally feels like that theyre part of punjab ( to an outsider looking in) but calling tham Kashmiri in name only is a bit offensive

But the point was that assimilation in Punjabi culture is such that people(voters) identify with her "culturally" eventhough ethnically shes diffrent

@Gianis

(Dont know about Awans but Rajputs dont marry anyone outside of Rajputs they are just a weird sub culture of thier own)

Awans do marry out but are generally a bit hesitant towards Kashmiris, don't know why.