In our last post, we shared bits of an illuminating conversation that recently took place between Mahira Khan and Anwar Maqsood at the Art Council of Pakistan in Karachi. During the session, Mahira commented how there are two women fighting, yelling, and giving each other poison.
“Two women, Maryam Nawaz and Marriyum Aurangzeb,” commented Maqsood to which the audience reacted in laughter and cheers, and he continued saying he was just giving an example. “I am not allowed to talk about politics. The situation is such. It’s going to get better very soon. Poisoning etc happens in real life not just in dramas. Both are actors, not character actors,” he said.
Soon after clips from the session started making rounds on social media, Senator Afnan Ullah Khan, son of the late PML-N leader Mushahidullah Khan, shared his two cents in a tweet, where he commented on the mental health of the two while character assassinated the actress.
“Mahira Khan has a mental health problem and Anwar Maqsood is drunk in this part of life. Both these shameless characters are cursed by the public. Books can be written on Mahira Khan’s character — she also flatters Indian actors for money. And Anwar Maqsood is a cursed character full of prejudice,” he wrote in the tweet in Urdu.
ماہرہ خان کو مینٹل ہیلتھ پروبلم ہیں اور انور مقصود عمر کےاس حصہ میں شراب کےنشہ میں دھت رہتا ہے۔ان دونوں بےشرم کیریکٹر پر عوام کی لعنت ہو۔ماہرہ خان کےکردار پر تو کتابیں لکھی جا سکتی ہیں،یہ پیسہ کےلیےانڈین اداکاروں کی خوشامد بھی کرتی ہےاور انور مقصود تعصب سے بھرا ہوا لعنتی کردار ہے
— Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan (@afnanullahkh) March 20,
The senator’s tweet was not received well by the general public, and many netizens, including celebrities from the industry, started tweeting in Khan and Maqsood’s defence, and lending their support to the actress and the playwright.
Farhan Saeed quote-tweeted the tweet and shared how this is one of the reasons that stands as obstacle in Pakistan’s way to progress. “This is the mentality that doesn’t let Pakistan grow, this is what they do when someone just gives an opinion or has a political preference. They get personal so people stop giving their opinion. Senator? Zuban jahilon wali,” he wrote.
This is the mentality that doesn’t let #Pakistan grow , this is what they do when someone just gives an opinion or has a political preference . They get personal so people stop giving their opinion .
Senator ? Zuban jahilon wali. #anwarmaqsood #mahirakhan https://t.co/jioZ3QU88C— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) March 21, 2023
Mira Sethi also called the tweet ‘utterly shameful’.
Utterly shameful.
Yey tweet aap ke kirdaar ke baarey mein zyaada bataati hai. https://t.co/kfjd58x8Zs
— Mira Sethi (@sethimirajee) March 21, 2023
Iffat Omar also condemned the tweet and urged Maryam Nawaz to take strict actions against the senator.
This is highly condemnable, and that too from PMLN who claims to be led by a woman.@MaryamNSharif, you must take immediate action against your senator.
Political criticism must not lead to character assassination.
Act Now Ma’am. https://t.co/V9XE4t6hpG— Iffat Omar Official (@OmarIffat) March 21, 2023
Adnan Siddiqui also called out the controversial remarks, without naming the senator.
Such disgraceful behavior from a public figure is unacceptable. The disrespect shown to Anwar Maqsood sahib and Mahira Khan, respected globally, is a reflection of his character, not the icons the gentleman insulted.
— Adnan Siddiqui (@adnanactor) March 21, 2023
Anoushay Ashraf denounced the senator, saying ‘Not my senator, not my party.’
Calls himself a senator and Dr and shows extreme grace and class while addressing artists of his nation that have done so much more for Pakistan than he ever will. Not my senator, not my party. We gotta fight this dirty mindset head on whichever party they belong to. @pmln_org https://t.co/mBXBudKrTw
— Anoushey Ashraf (@Anoushey_a) March 21, 2023
Mahira Khan and Anwar Maqsood are yet to retort to the controversial tweet.
