Pakistan’s well-known play writer and Urdu novelist Fatima Surayya Bajia passed away in Karachi after a prolonged illness at the age of 85. She was suffering from throat cancer. She was one of the famous persons in Pakistan’s society.
Bajia has been awarded several awards including the Pride of Performance, Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Japan’s highest civil award for her work. She has also worked as the adviser to the chief minister of Sindh province.
She was a popular personality in Pakistan’s art and social circles for writing plays for TV, radio and the stage. Shama, Afshan, Aroosa, Ana and Tasveer are among some of her best dramas written for the Pakistan Television (PTV).
She wrote her first long play Mehman. She contributed for the literary programmes like Auraaq, and beauty care programmes under the title Aaraish-e-Khaam-e-Kakal and she also produced some children programmes.
She was born in Hyderabad (India) in 1930. Bajiya started her career as an actress in a play aired by PTV in 1966.
Bajia was the eldest sister among 10 siblings. Three of her other siblings who are also famous in their respective fields are: TV host, actor, poet and playwright Anwar Maqsood; poetess Zehra Nigah; food expert Zubaida Tariq (Aapa) and Anwar Maqsood Hamidi, a former bureaucrat.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grief over the sad demise of Fatima Surayya Bajia and prayed for her departed soul.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad also expressed grief over her death. He paid rich tributes to the late writer and intellectual.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise of Fatima Suraiyya Bajia.
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) February 10, 2016
Never attended formal school, was educated at home; she became a legend of words… RIP Fatima Surraiyya Bajiya
— Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) February 10, 2016
Paying rich tributes to play writer&intellectual Fatima Suraiya Bajia Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan expressed grief over her death.
— Governor Sindh (@drishratulebad) February 10, 2016