Maria B defends right to free speech

Fashion designer Maria Butt, widely known as Maria B, has formally responded to a defamation complaint lodged in August by Saima Butt that centred on her social media posts, which were viewed as casting aspersions on the transgender community.

In her reply submitted to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Maria B, through her lawyer Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq, asserts that she was exercising her constitutional right to freedom of expression.

Her statement emphasises that she shared what she considered "reasonable opinions on matters of public concern," acted in "good faith and for the larger public good," and remained within the bounds of lawful expression.

Highlighting that the video she posted failed to clearly depict any individuals since viewers could see only masked, indistinct figures, the response argues defamation cannot apply, as no individual was identifiable.

The dispute began when Maria B shared content from what she described as a private party attended by transgender individuals, calling the gathering objectionable and inconsistent with societal moral values.

Lahore police responded by arresting around 60 persons, including transgender attendees. However, the case was later thrown out by a magistrate, who found no evidence that any wrongdoing had taken place.

This is not Maria B's first instance of controversy surrounding transgender issues. She previously celebrated the banning of the film Joyland in Lahore, describing it as a "shameful transgender satanic show."

Joyland, for context, had been Pakistan's official submission to the Oscars in 2023.

Maria B's reply alleges that the complaint against her was brought forward with "malicious intent" designed to harass her. Her submission represents the attempt to frame her comments not as defamatory, but as part of a broader public conversation.