Maryam Nawaz, Vice President Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has maintained her silence despite the ongoing speculations of an alleged settlement between the ‘establishment’ and the Sharif family.
It is interesting to note that Maryam Nawaz has been tight-lipped for a long time now, and now that the politician who was regularly making headlines with her bold stances has gone silent, it has given birth to a great many speculations as to the reason behind her lack of public engagement.
Maryam’s Prolonged Silence
Maryam Nawaz Sharif was granted bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case by the Lahore High Court in early November, after her arrest on August 8 this year. Since her appeal for bail was accepted, Maryam has been unusually silent, particularly on social media.
Throughout the accountability process against her family and herself, Maryam was quite active on social media, particularly twitter, before she was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
https://twitter.com/Annum_mumtaz18/status/1202228125591101440
It is interesting to note that this is not the first instance when the PML-N leader took a vow of silence. In 2018, she maintained silence after her sentence in the Avenfield corruption case. Initial speculations associated Maryam’s silence with her mother’s recent death, but once the 40-day mourning period ended, senior party leaders continued their rants on media platforms.
In November, an unidentified source from the PML-N revealed to the media that Maryam has maintained silence in light of the overall situation, given that Maryam’s political comments are presently not in the best interest of the Sharif family. The source added that Maryam is likely to remain tight-lipped until the circumstances improve.
Severe Mental Stress
PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb said that Maryam Nawaz is suffering from “severe mental stress” due to her father’s illness and treatment abroad, and hence, the PML-N Vice President has decided to avoid engaging in political activities for the time being.
Read more: Maryam Nawaz’s Silence – A Calculated Approach?
Aurangzeb claimed that Maryam will resume her political engagement when she deems it right. Meanwhile, Azma Bukhari, provincial spokesperson of the PML-N, claimed that Maryam is not only suffering mental stress due to her father’s illness but is also complaining of blood pressure complications and severe neck pain.
Bukhari added that the PML-N Vice President is also taking care of her sick grandmother.
Needless to say, Maryam’s prolonged silence comes as a surprise for her followers, who have always seen the politician maintain a vocal stance in all matters targeting her family.
Wonder why Ms Maryam Nawaz is silent on five hours long episode at SS house for the arrest of Hamza Shahbaz ?
— Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) April 6, 2019
Despite all the major events that have taken place in the country, including General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension case and recently, Malik Riaz’s settlement with the Supreme Court, Maryam has refrained from commenting on any political developments.
Many speculate that the arrests of her family members, cousins, and husband, alongside her father’s treatment and the ongoing proceedings against her in corruption cases, has engulfed her with severe mental stress.