Pakistani YouTuber Rajab Butt has finally responded to the debate surrounding his absence from the nominations of the upcoming Sunday Special Icon Awards, making it clear that awards and nominations are the least of his concerns.
In a video circulating across social media, Rajab revealed that he was unaware the awards ceremony was even taking place until he watched Sid Rapper's video.
He said: "I just watched Sid Rapper's video today, and that's when I found out an awards show is happening. I don't even know if it's the Sunday Magazine Awards or something else. I told Sid, 'Why did you give such a long explanation? Who even wants an award?' Do you really think they're going to nominate me? And why would they? Whether they invite whoever they want or give the award to anyone they choose, I don't care. I don't even want to be nominated, and I'm not going there to receive any award."
Rajab's remarks quickly went viral, with many fans praising his carefree attitude toward awards, while others continued debating whether Pakistan's biggest digital creators should be recognized at mainstream award ceremonies.
The controversy began after fellow content creator Sid Rapper shared a viral video questioning why Rajab Butt one of Pakistan's most-followed and trending YouTubers was not nominated in the Best YouTuber category at the Sunday Special Icon Awards. Sid argued that regardless of differing opinions about Rajab, his influence and popularity made him impossible to ignore.
Earlier, Sid Rapper had criticised the Sunday Special Icon Awards for excluding Rajab Butt from the Best YouTuber nominations. In his viral statement, Sid claimed that Rajab is currently Pakistan's top trending YouTuber and deserved at least a nomination, suggesting the organisers intentionally avoided including him because of his immense popularity.
The discussion has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some users supporting Sid Rapper's stance and calling Rajab a deserving nominee, while others argued that award selections should be based on broader criteria beyond online popularity.