Twitter outraged at Maryam Nawaz's vile, vengeful tweet on Arshad Sharif's murder
A day after the gruesome killing of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz's "vengeful" tweet has left many bewildered and angry on social media.
Journalists, civil society and other people on social media slammed Maryam's tweet and called her out for seizing upon the deceased journalist's death as an opportunity to settle political scores.
They said salivating over the sight of Arshad Sharif's coffin for political vendetta did not behove a politician and betrayed her "deep-seated" vengeance, making her unfit for holding public office.
Read more: Journalist Arshad Sharif shot dead in Kenya
The police were reported by Kenyan media as claiming that Arshad had been shot in the head and killed by the authorities on Sunday night along the Nairobi-Magadi highway in a case of “mistaken identity”.
Further details are expected to emerge as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority investigates the case.
However, a retweet by Maryam Nawaz left many on social media with anger, calling it in bad taste.
"I don’t feel good RTing this but this is a lesson for mankind that we must all imbibe," the PML-N leader wrote along with a tweet and a photo of Arshad Sharif's coffin.
The original tweet, retweeted by Maryam, claimed that the anchorperson used to malign PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for sending her mother’s coffin in a parcel. "He used to make fun of other people's death and now his time had come," she added.
The tweet ignited a fierce response from netizens who condemned the statement and refuted the claim.
Reacting to Maryam Nawaz’s tweet, senior journalist Hamid Mir posted a screenshot of the deceased journalist’s tweet in which, contrary to Maryam’s claims, he was wishing health and recovery for her mother.
“This is the tweet #ArshadSharif made for late #KalsoomNawaz Sahiba,” the caption read.
“@MaryamNSharif have a heart. Show some character and delete this ridiculous tweet. A Pakistani journalist is brutally killed and this is neither the way [nor] time to settle scores,” journalist Azhar Abbas wrote.
Rights activist Ammar Ali Jan wrote that mocking someone's family after a violent death was “shameful”. “By displaying such deep-seated feelings of resentment and vendetta against opponents, Maryam Nawaz continues to prove herself unfit for public office,” he added.
Author Ayesha Siddiqa also criticised the PML-N leader’s tweet and wrote: “Being leader of an important party it doesn’t become you to RT this. Arshad Sharif’s vile comment about your & Mian Sb’s loss is unforgivable but [please] remember as a leader you will have to grow a big heart and put that on display.”
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry termed the PLM-N leader's tweet insensitive, saying it only showed her evilness.
Ajmal Jami said “Inhumane, heartless and unbelievable to see this at a very tragic incident. I hope it will be deleted soon. Rehm kijiey pls! (have some mercy please)”
Sara Taseer said, “When I think @MaryamNSharif can’t go any lower she wins the challenge to prove me wrong. Big applause for belonging to the depths of the gutter.”
Journalist Ahmed Norani tweeted “I could never have imagined this from you. Arshad had never used derogatory words against Begum Kulsoom Nawaz after her death. Falling to this level is the basic difference between sane people and lowlifes. Alas!”
Another Journo Sadia Afzal termed it extremely insensitive and inhumane.
Other local as well as foreign journalists including some organisations also reacted to the 'vile' tweet.
A journalist in London also asked Maryam about her ‘vile’ tweet but she did not respond.
Maryam 'apologises'
Hours after Maryam’s tweet sparked fury from prominent figures, the PML-N leader finally deleted the tweet and apologised for it.
She clarified that her tweet was not aimed at mocking the deceased journalist’s death “but about learning our lessons from the past”.