Momina Iqbal Accuses PML-N MPA of Harassment, Death Threats — And Says the System Tried to Silence Her
By Sayed Abdullah | May 20, 2026
- Momina Iqbal's detailed allegations on Instagram
- The institutions she says failed her — NCCIA, FIA, Punjab Police
- Her direct appeal to Maryam Nawaz
- The broader problem of powerful men and silenced women in Pakistan
"I have been facing severe online harassment, cyber bullying, mental torture, and life threats from an MPA associated with Pakistan Muslim League (N) for a long time."
That's Momina Iqbal. A drama actress who has built a quiet but respected career in Pakistani television. And on Instagram this week, she decided she'd had enough. What she wrote next wasn't a vague, attention-seeking call-out. It was a detailed, specific, and deeply troubling account of what happens when a woman in Pakistan tries to report harassment by someone with political connections — and finds every institutional door slammed shut in her face.
"Despite repeatedly reporting the matter to NCCIA, FIA, and Punjab Police, no proper action has been taken due to the political influence of the individual involved," she continued. Three separate bodies. The NCCIA is supposed to handle cybercrime. The FIA is supposed to investigate serious criminal offences. Punjab Police is supposed to protect citizens. And yet, according to Iqbal, all three were rendered completely useless by one person's connections. Not one of them acted. Not one of them even seemed to try.
I read her statement twice, and the thing that struck me most was the specificity. She didn't hint. She didn't use euphemisms. She named a political party, identified the position of the accused, and made clear this has been going on for a long time — not days or weeks, but what she describes as a prolonged, unrelenting campaign. This is not someone fishing for sympathy. This is someone who has tried every official channel available to her and found every single one blocked.
The Accusation That Changes Everything
Then she went further — further than most people in her position would dare, because the risk of retaliation is so high. She alleged that "even individuals associated with the office of Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif tried to discourage and silence the matter rather than allowing a fair investigation." Read that again. She is not just accusing an MPA of harassment. She is accusing people operating in or around the Punjab chief minister's own office of intervening to suppress a legitimate complaint.
If that's true, it represents a profound institutional failure at the highest level of provincial government. If it's false, it's still a devastating indication of how little trust Pakistani women have in the very mechanisms that are supposed to protect them. Either way, the system has a lot to answer for.
Iqbal says her pursuit of justice has brought consequences for her family. "As a result of speaking up and seeking legal action, both my family and I are facing serious threats to our safety," she wrote. That's the grim calculus women across this country face every single day. You can stay silent and endure the harassment, or you can speak up and face retaliation — including threats to the people you love. Neither option is acceptable. But for too many women, those are the only options the system provides.
The Warning That Cannot Be Ignored
What makes this case impossible to dismiss is Iqbal's final, public promise. "If this matter continues to be ignored, I will be compelled to hold a public press conference and present all available evidence against everyone involved in the harassment, threats, and suppression of my complaints in order to protect a political figure." She's effectively saying: I have receipts. I have proof. I tried to handle this quietly through proper channels. If you force my hand, I will go public in the most explosive way possible and I will name every single person involved.
That's not a threat born of anger. It's a promise from someone who feels she has nothing left to lose. And it's the kind of promise that terrifies people in power who are used to these things staying buried.
Interestingly, Iqbal closed her statement by appealing directly to Maryam Nawaz herself. "I believe Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif will take unbiased and lawful action against anyone found involved in abuse of power or obstruction of justice," she wrote. It's a strategic framing — positioning the chief minister as a potential ally rather than an adversary. Whether that belief is genuine or tactical, it places Maryam Nawaz in a deeply uncomfortable position. If she ignores the complaint, she looks complicit in a cover-up. If she investigates and acts, she signals that even party-linked individuals are not above the law — a precedent that would have ripple effects far beyond this case. If she investigates and clears those involved, she'll need to do so transparently enough that the public actually believes the outcome.
A large number of fans and social media users have already expressed solidarity with Iqbal. The pressure on NCCIA, FIA, and Punjab Police is now intense and public. The question is whether that pressure will translate into genuine action or just more silence. The pattern in Pakistan has too often been the latter. But patterns can change. Sometimes all it takes is one person willing to say out loud what everyone else has been whispering in fear.
🔗 Also Read: Ayesha Omar Reacts to Fake Quote — And It's Time We Talk About Pakistan's Misinformation Problem
Do you think Momina Iqbal's public statement will force the authorities to finally act, or will political influence keep this buried like so many other cases? Share your honest opinion in the comments.
Sayed Abdullah is the founder of Prime Pakistan. Based in Karachi, he writes about gender, justice, and institutional accountability in Pakistan. He believes in context over clickbait. Read more.
Sources & External Links
- Momina Iqbal — Official Instagram Statement
- The Express Tribune — Coverage of Momina Iqbal's Allegations
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