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Shaking hands: Did Maryam Nawaz break diplomatic protocol?


Maryam Nawaz handshake

ISLAMABAD: A viral photo from yesterday showing Punjab’s first female Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, shaking hands with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival has taken social media by storm. Was it a simple gesture of goodwill or a breach of protocol?

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) along with several people have criticized the diplomatic gesture of the CM and are of the view that being a Muslim woman, she should not have shaken hands with a ‘non-mahram’.

In diplomatic circles, handshakes between male and female officials depend on cultural traditions, personal preferences, and societal norms.

Global protocols often require female diplomats to respect the host country’s traditions. However, since Pakistan’s societal norms and Islamic culture typically discourage physical contact between ‘non-mehram’ (unrelated men and women), they can use alternative gestures, such as a slight bow or right hands on the chest can be used.

Many Pakistani female leaders including former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar also shook hands following global diplomatic practices, but Maryam Nawaz’s gesture stood out due to the double handshake (using both hands), which conveys a sense of personal closeness or strong connection.

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Moreover, her gesture might have breached another layer of protocol. While a handshake is standard in global settings, the double handshake, where one hand is on the arm or wrist, symbolises power or control.

This gesture is less common in high-level diplomatic interactions, as it risks misinterpretation. Maryam’s actions might have unintentionally conveyed an impression of dominance or strong personal attachment.

Maryam Nawaz’s handshake has sparked a debate about whether she was following diplomatic norms or overstepping the traditional boundaries.

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