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Nawaz Sharif’s daughter accused of trying to outshine bride at Shanzeh Ali-Junaid Safdar's Pakistan wedding
As Junaid Safdar ties the knot with Shanzeh Ali, all eyes are on Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz's bridal look
The grand wedding of Junaid Safdar, son of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz and grandson of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to Shanzeh Ali has been dominating social media feeds. However, while the couple celebrated their union in Lahore, the internet was busy crowning a different viral star of the festivities.
The mother-of-the-groom: Maryam Nawaz steals the show
Known for her impeccable sense of style, Maryam Nawaz opted for a striking yellow and powder-orange lehenga for the mehendi, followed by a regal mint green ensemble for the main ceremony. While many admirers hailed her as the ‘most beautiful woman in the room’, a massive section of the internet accused her of stealing the bride's thunder. Critics pointed out that her choice of heavy jewellery and elaborate silhouettes made her look more like a bride than the mother of the groom, with one viral comment stating, “She did it to the first bahu and now she's doing it again.”
Why is this wedding making headlines?
The bride, Shanzeh Ali, became a viral topic for a much more controversial reason: her preference for Indian couture. For her mehendi, Shanzeh wore a stunning emerald green lehenga by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. She followed this up at the main wedding ceremony with a heavily embroidered red saree by Tarun Tahiliani, paired with a diamond and emerald choker. Her choice didn't sit well with Pakistani social media users, who trolled her ceaselessly.
Aside from the immediate family, another woman from the wedding guest list has caught the internet's eye. Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb went viral for what many are calling a stark face transformation. Photos of the minister from the wedding festivities showed a noticeably different look, leading to a wave of ‘before and after’ comparisons on X (formerly Twitter). Whether it was the professional makeup or something more, she became one of the most-searched attendees of the three-day event.
Junaid Safdar’s fresh start
This wedding marks a personal milestone for Junaid Safdar, who confirmed his divorce from his first wife, Ayesha Saif, in 2023. After a quiet period following his separation, Junaid’s marriage to Shanzeh Ali — the granddaughter of Nawaz Sharif’s close ally Rohail Asghar — is being viewed as a strengthening of political and family ties.
