Famous novelist, playwright and short story writer Bano Qudsia passed away at the age of 88.astan Saraay, the house she lived in with the late Ashfaq Ahmed, in Model Town was surrounded with journalists and members of Lahore’s literary circle who had come to pay their respects and speak to her family.Ms Qudsia was a towering literary figure and her writings were popular both inside and outside the country. She had been ill for the last several years but her condition deteriorated a week ago owing to multiple complications.Ms Qudsia was born on Nov 28, 1928 in Ferozepur, India, and came to Pakistan after partition. Her father had a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and her only brother, Pervaiz Chattah, was a painter.She was fond of writing since she was a child and had begun writing short stories when she was in class 5. She graduated from the Kinnaird College in Lahore and completed her masters in Urdu from the Government College, Lahore, in 1951.Though she gained much acclaim for the plays she penned for radio and TV, her novel Raja Gidh earned her accolades within the country and outside.One of her plays, Aadhi Baat, is considered a classic. Among her more prominent writings are Aatish-i-zer-i-paa, Aik Din, Amer Bail, Asay Pasay, Chahar Chaman, Chhotaa Sheher Baray Log, Footpath ki Ghaas, Hasil Ghaat and Hawa Kay Naam, among others.She was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2003 and Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday expressed deep condolences on the sad demise of prominent Urdu writer Bano Qudsia.The prime minister said Bano Qudsia was an asset of Pakistan and she had innumerable services in the field of Urdu literature.The PM prayed for the blessing of the departed soul and grant of patience to the bereaved family.Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed a deep sense of grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Bano Qudsia.
The chief minister paid rich tributes to the services of Bano Qudsia for the promotion of Urdu literature and said that she has earned niche with her unique writing style. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Bano Qudsia. Marriyum said Bano Qudsia was a great author and a critic, and her literary work was a classic example of adherence and conformity to innovative and progressive thought.The minister extended sympathies to her bereaved family and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.With her passing away, another golden chapter of Urdu literature had come to an end. There was great depth and strict adherence to moral values in her writings because she had remained in the company of personalities such as Mumtaz Mufti, Qudratullah Shahab and Ashfaq Ahmed.Ms Qudsia had made a lofty contribution to Urdu literature through her immaculate writing.She was recognised as a trendsetter in the realm of television plays and this is the reason that some of her masterpieces gained immense popularity not only in Pakistan but also across the border because of their vitality, warmth and courage. Her contribution for promotion of Urdu literature will always be remembered.
