Watch | Maryam Nawaz's viral video fixing police officer's attire divides internet

Newly crowned Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, Maryam Nawaz Sharif has divided the internet over a video where she can be seen fixing a woman police officer's 'dupatta' (head scarf) after it slipped from her head. 

The video was uploaded by Maryam's PR team on her social media handles to show her empathetic side to the public, as the caption suggested. 

"CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s act of adjusting a police officer’s dupatta is a powerful reminder that leadership is about compassion and understanding," read the caption. 

The video immediately went viral but as is the case with any discourse on the internet, it polarised the users. While some applauded the CM for her generosity and helping out the police officer, others criticised her for touching the officer without her consent and upholding a patriarchal and regressive practice of covering the head.

"This is unbelievable, how can she touch her belongings and how can she decide when and how she should wear her Dupatta? This is condemnable," criticised one user. 

"Madam Chief Minister you are encouraging other fanatic people in society to take such actions and think they have the right to do so. These actions are wrong on so many levels please don’t do this already our daughters, sisters and mothers are a soft target for many fanatics," commented another. 

Another added: "Madam CM is setting a bad example by interfering in personal space of a lady."

"Shameful and disgusting, especially being a woman. Who gave you the right. Go Invade someone's else personal space. This mindset is just pathetic!"

However, few saw the kind side of her actions and said Maryam did not intervene for any personal gain, albeit it was a simple act of kindness. 

"This action is like an elder sister. It's not like bullying or giving her a low feel. It's like an older sister. So much love and ownership," said a user on X. 

"MNS is not wrong here. she isn't forcing hijab on her but fixing it for her. The PO is clearly a Hijabi girl and for ba parda women, it is a matter of extreme importance. Not even her supporter but she is not wrong here."

The daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam became the first-ever woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan on Monday (Feb 26). She took oath as the CM at a ceremony at the Governor House in the presence of her father and uncle Shehbaz Sharif. 

She secured 220 votes in the 371-seat provincial assembly, the Punjab assembly speaker said as he announced the results.