A video that has been viewed over 600,000 times on social media claims to show “a rare video” of Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari mocking Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, accusing Sharif of being unqualified to serve as a councilor in Punjab’s local government.
The allegation is false. Bokhari’s speech was modified to distort its meaning. Her remarks were instead meant at another politician, Yasmin Rashid.
Claim
Following Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s election as Punjab’s first female chief minister, a clip began to circulate on X and Facebook.
In the film going around, Azma Zahid Bokhari, who is currently the information minister of Punjab and also a member of Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) can be heard allegedly saying the following about Sharif:
“Who is Maryam Nawaz Sharif?” She lacks the qualifications to be elected as a councilor. “You [Maryam] appear to have some misconceptions about yourself.”
Similar allegations were made here, here, and here.
Fact
The genuine press conference of Punjab’s Information Minister, Azma Zahid Bokhari. The news release, dated February 26, 2023, is not recent.
Bokhari can plainly be heard speaking about Yasmin Rashid, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), rather than Maryam Nawaz Sharif, during the media interview, which was broadcast on numerous television networks.
In the old video, Bokhari accuses Rashid of using unsuitable terms for politician Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who at the time was the senior vice president of the PML-N, following which Bokhari says the following words about Rashid:
“During your conversation yesterday, you invited Maryam Nawaz Sharif to sit with you. But, who are you? You cannot even get elected as a councillor.”
