Earlier this year, TV host Juggun Kazim came under fire for unintentionally offending viewers. Her “crime”? During an interview, she kissed the hand of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi while expressing gratitude for her work in combating violence against women.
The gesture quickly sparked criticism online, with many accusing Juggun of showing excessive gratitude to a public official, perhaps in an effort to ingratiate herself with the police. “I’m unsubscribing after seeing you kiss her hand,” one user commented, while others called the interaction “fake” and “staged.” Another viewer added, “Why is she kissing her hand? She’s a police officer just doing her job. Juggun, stop over-acting.”
Some critics also questioned her impartiality, speculating that Shehrbano might be related to Juggun’s brother-in-law, politician Mohsin Naqvi. One viewer wrote, “They’re all from the same family—I’m unsubscribing on moral grounds.”
Recently, Juggun addressed the backlash on Ahmad Ali Butt’s podcast, reflecting on the surprising negativity she received over what she thought was a simple gesture. “I’m a very affectionate person,” Juggun explained. “If you’ve seen my shows, you’d know that.”
She firmly denied any family connection to Shehrbano, clarifying, “I was formal and reserved in that interview because it was our first meeting. I’m not related to her.”
Juggun also shared the personal reason behind her gesture, recalling her own painful experience as a survivor of domestic abuse in her first marriage. “I’ve been abused in a past relationship,” she noted. “Shehrbano stood up for women in a way no one did for me back then. I just wanted to thank her—I had no hidden agenda; I was just being nice.”
Whether her explanation will appease her critics remains to be seen.
