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Since Saturday, X users have been sharing posts about Maryam Nawaz, the Chief Minister of Punjab, and her mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, speculating on their inclusion in a Punjab textbook. One post even featured what appeared to be a mockup of the textbook cover. However, further research revealed that while the textbook now includes pictures and content about Maryam and Kulsoom, it also features other prominent women, and is not limited to just them.
In a 36-second video clip posted on Saturday, PTI leader Shahbaz Gill asserted that the content pertaining to CM Maryam and her mother would be incorporated into the Pakistan Studies textbook for grade 10.
“A lesson about Maryam Nawaz will also be taught.” was the caption of the post.
مطالعہ پاکستان میں اب مریم نواز کا سبق بھی پڑھایا جائے گا! pic.twitter.com/IntYKtg8Wf
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) January 18, 2025
The post was shared 1,300 times and has more than 45,600 views.
You can observe similar statements published by PTI fans here with over 80,000 views and here with 40,000 views, respectively. Along with CM Maryam and another woman who remains anonymous, the posts included a mockup of a textbook cover.
In a video post on January 17, journalist Junaid Saleem brought attention to the same matter when discussing the latest updates to the tenth-grade textbook on his X account.
— Junaid Saleem (@ImJunaidSaleem) January 17, 2025
According to Saleem, CM Maryam put her and her late mother’s names in the “Women’s Contribution to Pakistan’s Success” section. His main concern was the omission of other prominent personalities, like Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, who had previously served as health minister of Punjab.
Fact-Check Launches to Verify Claims
Concerns about possible abuse of power in the education sector, widespread public interest, and a lack of coverage in the mainstream media prompted the launch of a fact check to establish the validity of a claim.
Relevant terms in both Urdu and English were used in a keyword search.
The revised 2025 syllabus for the 10th-grade Pakistan Studies curriculum now highlights the contributions of prominent women to Pakistan’s development. Included are figures such as Fatima Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto, Kulsoom Nawaz, CM Maryam, Fehmida Mirza, Nusrat Bhutto, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aaliya Neelum, Bilquis Edhi, Arfa Karim, Samina Baig, Shamshad Akhtar, and Nigar Johar Khan.
This updated syllabus recognizes Maryam as Punjab’s first female chief minister, along with the achievements of other influential women, which are detailed in Chapter 8, page 163. These additions are part of the unified curriculum set to be taught in both public and private schools.
The revised textbook, which features the names and pictures of Maryam and Kulsoom alongside other notable women, is currently in the printing process and is intended for the 2025 academic year.
The section titled “Women’s contribution in national development from 1947 till now” includes Kulsoom for being a “brave woman” who opposed the dictatorship in Pakistan from 1999-2008 under Gen Pervez Musharraf.
A blog on the Punjab government’s Honhaar Scholarship Programme website, titled “Maryam Nawaz named as Extraordinary Woman in Pakistan Studies Book of Matric,” corroborates this update in the 2025 Pakistan Studies textbook, aiming to inspire students, particularly girls, to excel in various fields.
Fact-checking reveals that the claim that only CM Maryam and her mother are included in the textbook is misleading. Both are mentioned alongside other prominent women, and posts suggesting otherwise may mislead the public, implying misuse of authority for self-glorification. Additionally, the textbook’s alleged cover mockup is a fabrication, as evidenced by the actual online version of the revised textbook.
