Daily Times

KARACHI: Fatima Surayya Bajia, one of the most popular playwrights of the country, was laid to rest at Gizri Graveyard in Phase-IV of the Defence Housing Authority on Thursday afternoon.

Hundreds of people from various walks of life attended Bajia’s funeral prayers at the central mosque of the Muhammad Ali Cooperative Housing Society. Dr Ishrat Hussain, director of the Institute of Business Administration and former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan; Dr Qasim Pirzada, former vice chancellor of the Karachi University; Dr Farooq Sattar, leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM); Dr Arif Alvi, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI); Najmi Alam, leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former minister Javed Jabbar were prominent among those who attended Bajia’s funeral.

Film and TV stars Nadeem, Mustafa Qureishi, Shakeel, Behroze Sabzwari and Qazi Wajid represented their community at Bajia’s funeral. Bajia was suffering from cancer for quite some time and she passed away on Wednesday evening.

Condolence messages started pouring in from across the country soon after the death of Bajia who carved a niche for herself in early years of the country’s independence. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan said Bajia enjoyed a unique status among drama writers and she was among those who highlighted social issues through their dramas. “It would be very difficult to fill the gap created by her death,” Khan said. Qureishi said the country and its people had been deprived of a selfless soul and the void created by her death could never be filled. “It is unfortunate that we, during past few months, have lost towering figures like Intezar Hussain, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, Jamil-ud-Din Aaali and Fatima Surayya Bajia,” he said.

Sada Welfare Foundation Convener Fauzia Siddiqui said that Bajia continued to support the cause of child health till her death.

Jaffar Kazim, senior member of the Karachi Boy Scouts Association, said that Bajia would not only be remembered for her literary pursuits but also for her services to the ailing humanity. She supported a series of projects for the poor people suffering from different ailments. “The cause was very close to heart,” Kazim said.