Former Dawn Editor Abbas Nasir embroiled in bitter exchange with Twitterati

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 17 August 2018

Abbas Nasir engaged in a heated Twitter exchange after Senator Sherry Rehman criticized the new National Assembly Speaker. The debate underscores the ongoing tensions in Pakistani politics.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - A tweet by Senator Sherry Rehman complaining that the new National Assembly Speaker did not stand in respect of women MNAs embroiled former editor of Dawn Abbas Nasir (pictured) in a bitter, harsh and below the belt exchange from Tweeple.

Sherry’s tweet was accompanied by a combo of two pictures in which Speaker Asad Qaiser is seen shaking hands with a male MNA while sitting as a female MNA passes by his seat. The MNAs were casting their votes for the election of deputy speaker. 

Murad Saeed Junior, responding to the Senator’s tweet, said that in the Pakhtun culture men do not shake hands with women. However, he added should the Speaker “hug you”.

This did not go well with Nasir. He tweeted: “Typical naya youthiya language.” This led to an exchange of harsh tweets between the supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the former Dawn editor.

One young man alleged that the generation of Nasir was a hypocrite while another said it had ruined Pakistan. Nasir continued to answer back to tweets of young PTI supporters.

However, another supporter of PTI uploaded the pictures of the new speaker where he is seen standing up as women MNAs came to cast their votes.

Photo: Twitter (@abbasnasir59)

KEY POINTS:

• Senator Sherry Rehman tweets about Speaker's respect for women MNAs.
• Abbas Nasir criticizes responses from PTI supporters.
• Tensions escalate with harsh criticisms exchanged on Twitter.
• Visual evidence presented contradicts the senator's claims.
• Cultural norms discussed regarding gender interactions in politics.