A video clip with thousands of views and interactions on social media claims that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif admitted in a recent televised speech that her government and the wider political setup is on the brink of collapse.
The claim is false.
Claim
On February 19, a Facebook user posted a short clip of Maryam Nawaz Sharif with the caption: “Maryam Nawaz has also finally realised that the end is near.”
In the video, Sharif is heard saying: “Thank God, this system is now at its end. My political opposition will continue, that is not an issue for me. But I will never forgive those who have harmed my country.”
The clip has been viewed over 467,000 times, shared more than 670 times, and liked over 4,700 times.
Another Facebook user shared the same video with the text: “The nation has taken its revenge for damaging the country by bringing an end to you and your family’s politics on February 8 [national election]. Maryam Nawaz has also finally realised that the end [of her government] is near.”
Fact
The chief minister’s remarks are being misrepresented online. In the full version of the televised speech, Maryam Nawaz Sharif is not referring to the collapse of her own government. Instead, she is talking about the alleged downfall of her political rivals, specifically the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
A reverse image and keyword search confirms that the video was clipped from a speech Sharif gave on February 19 at the launch of electric buses in Lahore.
In her 30-minute address, she criticised PTI for its role in the May 9 riots, blaming them for long-term damage to the country.
At the 23:50 mark in the full video, Sharif says:
“What are you giving to the youth? Petrol bombs and sticks to bust heads. They have been doing this since 2010. They have destroyed Pakistan. Thank God that this system is now on the verge of its end. My political opposition will continue, I will continue politics, it is not an issue, but I will never forgive anyone who has harmed my country.”
Verdict: The video clip is being shared out of context. Maryam Nawaz Sharif was referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. She was not talking about her own government in Punjab or her party’s position at the federal level.
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