Pakistan’s digital creator space has once again erupted in controversy, this time with popular content creator Zulqarnain Sikandar publicly hitting back at YouTuber Rajab Butt following remarks that many felt were directed at his wife, Kanwal Aftab.
In a pointed Instagram story, Zulqarnain wrote in Urdu: “Mard, mardon ke saath lartay hain, aur yeh baat na mard nahi samajh payen ge.” The message was widely interpreted as a direct response to Rajab Butt’s behavior during his ongoing public divorce controversy, in which comments and allegations spread across social media reportedly touched on fellow creators, including Kanwal Aftab. Kanwal Aftab also hit back with sarcastic comments like “Nasli Bhai”.
Zulqarnain Sikandar and Kanwal Aftab are among Pakistan’s top digital creators, having earned massive fame in a short time. Kanwal has 20 million followers on TikTok, while Zulqarnain has approximately 17 million, with their YouTube channel attracting over 2 million subscribers.
This is not the first time Zulqarnain has had to defend his family publicly. Earlier this year, he was briefly detained at a friend’s wedding, accusing unnamed individuals of filing false FIRs against him and stating that people were trying to defame him.
Kanwal Aftab is known for her dignified responses to online criticism, most recently addressing trolls over her and Zulqarnain’s repeated Umrah visits, clarifying that intention and sincerity, not wealth, guide their spiritual journeys.
Zulqarnain’s bold statement has been widely praised by fans, who called it a dignified and strong defence of his family’s honor in the face of online negativity.
