Renowned Pakistani Urdu novelist and playwright Bano Qudsia passed away in Lahore. The 88-year-old was suffering from heart-related complications, and was admitted to a local hospital when her condition deteriorated a few days ago.
She breathed her last, last evening and was laid to rest next to her husband Ashfaq Ahmed’s grave in Model Town area of Lahore. Like her husband, Qudsia was a towering literary figure and her writings were globally popular.
Born in November 1928 in Ferozepur, India, Qudsia migrated to Pakistan after partition. She did her masters in Urdu Literature from Government College Lahore in 1951. She began writing short stories since childhood and shot to fame after her novel Raja Gidh ( The Vulture King ) earned her accolades. Her other prominent writings include Aadhi Baat, 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 .
She was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2003 and Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010.
“Another golden chapter of Urdu literature has come to an end. After Intezar Hussain, Abdullah Hussain and Quratulain Haider’s great works, Ms Qudsia’s writings stood in a category of their own,” poet and playwright Amjad Islam Amjad said.