Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s handshake with a foreign dignitary has sparked a social media debate, with many referencing eastern and Islamic traditions.
The controversy arose after a photo surfaced showing Maryam Nawaz warmly shaking hands with Dubai President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to Pakistan. Reports suggest Sheikh Mohamed, along with other high-ranking Arab officials, was on a hunting trip. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz welcomed the delegation at Rahim Yar Khan airport.
The Sheikh Zayed International Airport in Rahim Yar Khan is named after the UAE’s founding father, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who funded the airport and built a road leading to his palace in the city.
In the viral image, Maryam is seen shaking hands with Sheikh Mohamed using both hands, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stands between them. The gesture has drawn mixed reactions in Pakistan, a society deeply rooted in Islamic and cultural traditions where handshakes between women and men are often deemed inappropriate.
Critics have compared Maryam’s actions to those of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who frequently declined to shake hands with men due to religious considerations. Some have also highlighted Maryam’s past comments about “Na-Mahram” (non-permissible interaction with strangers) during her appearances in NAB cases under the PTI government.
Journalist Sohrab Barkat remarked that women generally avoid handshakes with men in eastern societies and suggested that a simple “touch and go” would have sufficed under diplomatic protocols. His comment gained traction after being shared by the popular website Siasat.pk, despite the platform being banned in Pakistan.
