Maryam Nawaz’s 60-page advertisement showing one-year performance sparks online debate

A 60-page advertising supplement showcasing Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s one-year performance as Chief Minister of Punjab has been published with Pakistan’s leading Urdu newspapers, sparking a furious row online.

Many social media users mocked Maryam Nawaz for focusing on her branding and questioning her marketing technique.

A social media user posted a video online on Wednesday with the caption, “In today's newspapers, you will get 60 pages at the most reasonable price, and you’ll accumulate a good amount of waste paper.” In the video, the user can be seen counting the advertisement pages featuring Nawaz’s performance in one year.

Another social media user pointed out, “It seems like the government of Punjab has published a 60-page advertisement, most of which is more focused on images of Maryam Nawaz Sharif than on actual performance reports.”

A third user joked, “These 60 pages are just an event for today; by tomorrow, they’ll be found with pakora (fritter) and samosa vendors.” 

Sharing the pictures of the front pages of multiple Urdu newspapers, another user opined, “These are today's newspapers in Pakistan. The entire front page is covered with an advertisement from the Punjab government highlighting Maryam Nawaz's one-year performance. If marketing is necessary, it should be targeted. Such random blanket marketing won’t affect opponents but is instead alienating their own voters.”

A fifth user, while highlighting that on Tuesday, the front pages of all major Urdu newspapers in Pakistan were completely identical—the same headlines, subheadings, news, and images, published without any alterations, lamented that media houses and journalists had completely surrendered before the government.

“This might be the first time a government has published an entire supplement in newspapers regarding its performance. Such supplements are typically published by expos, embassies, and large companies,” quipped journalist Riaz Ul Haq.

Former Senator Farhatullah Babar commented that a 60-page supplement at public expense was a monstrosity. “Whosoever placed 170 pictures of CM Punjab in its first 30 pages has done a monstrous disservice to her & her government,” he opined on X.

Meanwhile, TV host and journalist Absa Komal, while sharing the pictures of newspapers on X, wrote in a caption, “These newspapers are no longer associated with journalism—should they now be considered mere publicity platforms for the Punjab government? The eagerness to flatter the government and the financial gains may eventually fade, but the lost credibility will never be restored. The owners and editors of these newspapers have brought shame to the profession of journalism.”

Earlier this week, a unique advertisement highlighting Nawaz’s one-year performance as the provincial executive remained at the center of the debate.

The advertisement appeared on the internet on Friday, showing Pakistan’s female cricket team in hot water. Just when defeat seems inevitable, the team's all-round captain player named Maryam rescues the team while playing a winning knock.