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Shaniera Akram has a name and it's not 'Wasim Akram's wife'

Shaniera Akram has a name and it's not 'Wasim Akram's wife'

When Nadeem Paracha kept referring to Shaniera as Wasim's wife, this woman from the audience yelled, "She has a name!"
Updated 01 Oct, 2019

A girl has a name...and it's Shaniera Akram (Tell us you get our Game of Thrones reference).

One of the panels at the 6th Islamabad Literature Festival featured Fasi Zaka, Ali Aftab Saeed, George Fulton and Nadeem F. Paracha, where Paracha repeatedly referred to Shaniera as 'Wasim Akram's wife' rather than by her name.

That's when a woman from the audience chimed in. "She has a name!" she exclaimed, followed by applause.

Responding to the incident, Paracha explained that, "I actually forgot her name, and then wasn't sure what it was. I thought it would be silly if I pronounced it wrong."

Shaniera tweeted a response to what took place as well, writing, "Who is this amazing woman? #SheHasAName You go girl!"

She also responded to another tweet that took a potshot at her:

"If you are talking about someone on stage at a literacy festival, you should at least give them the dignity of a name. And I am not a celebrity but I have earned my name, thank you very much," added Shaniera.

Comments

Kam Raman Oct 01, 2019 04:52pm
Keep up the good work, please become an ambassador for rural eduction and schooling system
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Scott Oct 01, 2019 05:46pm
Thank you ma'am for getting the ball rolling at Clifton beach, all of a sudden everyone has a stake there and trying to improve.
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SK Oct 01, 2019 05:52pm
Good to know someone stood up to this pseudo intellectual. Let this be a lesson to all of us men - let's not belittle women.
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bhaRAT© Oct 01, 2019 06:05pm
"Who is this amazing woman? #SheHasAName You go girl!" Well put.
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Ehsan Oct 01, 2019 06:38pm
Didn’t expect that from nfp
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Sameer Oct 01, 2019 06:46pm
its true. Shaniera has clearly established herself independently. More power to you!
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HashBrown® Oct 01, 2019 06:50pm
Good move from the anonymous woman in the audience. How sad, that even an intelligent, astute man like Nadeem Paracha can't summon the dignity to refer to a woman by her name. It shows how long a journey we have ahead of us as a society...
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Sane One Oct 01, 2019 06:50pm
Paracha , while doing research, just like lot of Pakistani men looks down to women or even other men who might not have as much exposure to life opportunities. Not expected from a normal average man who knows how to address a married woman. Mrs, Akram or Shaniera Akram shouldnt be that difficult.
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Larkanavi Oct 02, 2019 04:58am
Shaniera, you have done some good things for Pakistan. You have your own distinguished identity. Love you for what you are.
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Safir Ahmad Siddiqui Oct 02, 2019 08:51am
Well done respected Shaniera Akram.You are a broad minded lady.We are proud of you.
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Helping Hands Oct 02, 2019 03:32pm
Shaniera made it to the literacy festival in Pakistan, really! Says a lot about the quality of our literacy festivals!
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