NEWS DESK: Yeh bik gayi hai gormint are ‘wise words of wisdom’. They are simply GOLD – at least in the meme world. One may have thought that Gormint auntie, who delivered the legendary words, would be treated like the gem that she is by everyone. Unfortunately, keeping in line with our tradition of forgetting...

Gormint auntie, whose real name is Qamar, lives in Martin Quarters, Karachi. It was one of those hot days during load-shedding when a reporter of a private TV channel asked her about how she felt about the menace of power cuts. Now, Gormint auntie was already known for her temper when it came to load-shedding. When the reporter asked her to speak, she unleashed a barrage of invectives while lashing out at the government for failing to ensure power supply. The footage of Gormint auntie’s no-holds-barred diatribe was leaked on social media and spread like wildfire. #YehBikGayiHaiGormint became the top trend on Twitter. Eventually, Gormint auntie became the face of countless memes on social media, both in Pakistan and across the border in India.

There was even a Gormint auntie version of the song Despacito!

#बिक_गई_है_Gormint Last words that obama wrote b4 Trump took over bcoz #BJPkiHawaTightHai 🔨 pic.twitter.com/Zh1f6AuXjP — Vinay Kumar Dokania (@vinaydokania) February 11, 2017

The most empowering speeches from women pic.twitter.com/4bpD0iWN6d — Broken News (@NewsParodyPk) January 13, 2017

After listening dhinchak pooja's recent song "Yeh gormint bik gayi hai!!!!!!" — Dolly mishra (@Dollymi45205395) June 27, 2017

I had to explain my Yeh Bik Gayi Hai Gormint t-shirt to my uncle. Priceless. — Mitali (@mitaliminigupta) June 24, 2017

Its very nice how someone can embrace you while not wanting you to whisper "yeh bik gayi hai gormint" in their ear — laila (@JehanAraSultana) May 31, 2017

$500 million? BC citizens in India are dying of hunger & disease & you want to give 500m in charity? Yeh Bik Gayi Hai Gormint @PMOIndia ! pic.twitter.com/B6rq0aSiyI — 🚫expose hindutva🚫 (@AmaninderZ) May 28, 2017

In a recent blog on Gormint auntie, Samaa reporter Shahla Mahmood quoted the son of the legend, who spoke about the aftermath of Yeh bik gayi hai gormint. “My mother is very short-tempered,” he said. “She hurls abuses whenever her blood pressure is high and she doesn’t even realize what she is saying. She uttered whatever came in her mind when the TV vaalay came in our area that day because she was extremely angry and her blood pressure was also high.”

According to Gormint auntie’s son, the family did not know at that time what the consequences of one seemingly harmless interview would be. “Our extended family has socially boycotted us,” he lamented. “Everyone makes fun of my mother. We have stopped attending family events because people, instead of enjoying the family functions, shift their focus on my mother. We have had many altercations with our relatives and neighbours over the issue. As a result, no one comes to our house anymore.”

We are unable to find suitable matches for our sisters now, he added, saying that this is the worst part. “Where can we go now?” he asked. “Society doesn’t let us breathe in peace. Even my father and brother become the target of jokes whenever they go out. My mother has become even more irritable after the incident.”

Gormint auntie’s son said that the TV reporter should have deleted the footage if she had said something inappropriate.