Junaid Safdar, son of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and grandson of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, married Shanzeh Ali in a lavish ceremony in Lahore. The bride is the granddaughter of Rohail Asghar, a long-time ally of the Sharif family.
While the wedding celebrations quickly went viral, it was the outfits that caught the attention of social media. Much of the discussion centered on the bride’s Indian designer ensembles and Maryam Nawaz’s eye-catching outfits.
Maryam Nawaz became the focal point of conversation even before the bride. For the mehendi ceremony, the Punjab CM wore a yellow and powder orange lehenga, followed by a traditional mint green outfit for the wedding itself.
Reactions on social media were mixed. Some praised her style, others accused her of overshadowing the bride. “Maryam Nawaz and her endless obsession with dressing/behaving like a bride,” wrote one user. Another commented: “Maryam Nawaz looks more beautiful than the bride.”
Critics were just as vocal. “She did it on the first bah and now she’s doing it again. Self-obsessed, pathetic log,” wrote one user. Another said: “That’s it. The most important person at a wedding is the bride. Absolutely no one should wear a better outfit than the bride.” Another comment read, “So why is this nani amma dressed like a dulhan?”
The bride, Shanzeh Ali, also attracted attention for her fashion choices. For the mehendi, she wore a lehenga by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee and for the main wedding event she chose a heavy red sari by Tarun Tahiliani complete with a diamond choker with a central emerald.
Her preference for Indian designers drew criticism from some Pakistani social media users. “Very medium. I’m sure the Pakistani designers could have made her something Pakistani,” read one comment. Others added: “Shame on taxing India” and “What is this obsession with Indian designers? They drool over our Pakistani clothes and look at it!”
This is Junaid Safdar’s second marriage. He was previously married to Ayesha Saif, daughter of former National Accountability Authority Chairman Saifur Rehman Khan, in 2021. The couple divorced after two years, with Junaid announcing the split on Instagram in 2023.