The late Kulsoom Nawaz, was the wife of the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Her life is an inspiration to many. In 1999, Musharraf detained the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, during his coup to ensure a smooth transition of power. However, Kulsoom Sahiba rose to the moment and refused to surrender before a dictator who had trampled the state’s constitution. Moreover, she decided to hold a long march from Lahore to Peshawar in a bid to garner the support of the people against a dictator.
Resultantly, the Sharif family’s residence was cordoned off and strict measures were taken to ensure that she remained within the premises. However, she somehow managed to deceive the law enforcement agencies and arrived along with Tehmina Dultana in a car.
The Punjab police under state influence lifted her car with a crane and took to the police station; whilst she was in the car and refused to get off. Kulsoom Nawaz wasn’t ready to cave into a dictator’s demands, and give up her march towards Peshawar.
Gul Bukhari very aptly described Begum Kulsoom Nawaz as the ‘only man’ in Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N). She became a celebrated icon because of her brave resistance and courage in the face of adversity, she made the headlines in national and international newspapers.
Ironically, before the 1999, coup she was deemed as a simple housewife. In fact, nobody knew that she had an outstanding understanding of politics and understood the art of resistance. She was a well-read woman, with a doctorate in philosophy. She was immersed in literary activities before her husband was detained by a dictator.
The long and short of it is that with the demise of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz we have lost a great patriot. Her words come to one’s mind when she was leaving Pakistan for Saudi Arabia, she said that “We aren’t leaving happily but we are being forced to leave Pakistan. And I wish happiness to the people of this land”. The pain was palpable in her words, but only to those with a beating heart. She was and still is above the accolades, we can offer her. May she enjoy high ranks in paradise as she truly deserved it.
Moreover, Kulsoom Nawaz was an inspiration to many and was an exemplary mother. Maryam Nawaz reflects her mother’s values. She was a beacon of light for her family, her character was imbued with wisdom and steely resolve.
The late Kulsoom was also an ardent admirer of poetry and even influenced her husband’s predilection for poetry. The couplets we have heard from Nawaz Sharif can be accredited to Kulsoom in actuality, as she was the driving force behind the words. Furthermore, she would even proofread her husband’s speeches and add pertinent information.
These are but a few qualities of Begum Kulsoom which put her before the ones who flaunt to be Democrats. She silently served the country as a great advisor to her husband and was an exemplary mother.
The long and short of it is that with the demise of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz we have lost a great patriot. Her words come to one’s mind when she was leaving Pakistan for Saudi Arabia, she said that “We aren’t leaving happily but we are being forced to leave Pakistan. And I wish happiness to the people of this land”. The pain was palpable in her words, but only to those with a beating heart.
She was and still is above the accolades, we can offer her. May she enjoy high ranks in paradise as she truly deserved it.
The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
Published in Daily Times, September 16th 2018.