LAHORE(National times)- Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has strongly condemned what she called a “dirty and low-level” social media campaign being run against Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, accusing the opposition party’s online brigade of orchestrating it. In a video statement, the minister said that so-called ‘YouTubers’ are behind the campaign, and whenever any action is taken against them, it is framed as political revenge or censorship of freedom of expression. She added that even some women accounts are being used to spread offensive content. Bokhari highlighted that since 2014, defamatory content has been directed at Maryam Nawaz. She stated that she does not believe any professional journalist would post such material from their personal accounts. Referring to the plane controversy, she said around 150 vlogs and nearly 100 TV programs were produced on the issue, yet no senior journalist investigated it thoroughly. She added that this “filth” must now end. The minister said that while her party also has much to say, they refrain from personal attacks due to training and ethics, emphasizing that they focus on political discourse rather than personal matters. Bokhari criticized the opposition for using the plane issue as a pretext for their campaign, questioning whether other chief ministers also travel similarly. She attacked the opposition party’s leadership, citing past failures such as costly shuttle services, mismanagement of government properties, and mass recruitment. She accused them of spreading the same filth today.
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She further stated that the opposition’s behavior reflects both poor family upbringing and flawed political training, expressing sympathy for the women in their households who endure such toxic behavior. The minister emphasized that the social media campaign has no impact on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, as she is focused on serving the people of Punjab. She highlighted government initiatives, including a 41 billion PKR Ramadan package, electric buses, 103 billion PKR easy business loans, the Dahi Rani program, the Suthra Punjab program creating 150,000 jobs and homes, and 10 billion PKR assistance to people in Balochistan. Bokhari also recalled the 200 billion PKR relief package provided by the Chief Minister after the floods, asserting that the campaign cannot harm Maryam Nawaz but only exposes the opposition’s unethical tactics.
