LAHORE: Prominent human rights activist, poet, and educationist Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra passed away in Lahore on Monday at the age of 83, her niece Ameena Kamal confirmed. She will be laid to rest in her family graveyard at Cavalry Ground, Lahore, on Tuesday, with funeral details to be announced later.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed “profound grief” over her demise, describing it as an “irreparable loss for Pakistan’s academic and literary circles.” In a statement shared by the PPP on X, he lauded her lifelong dedication to education, research, and the promotion of the Urdu language. “Her scholarly contributions and service to humanity will always be remembered,” the president said, extending condolences to her family, students, and colleagues.
Dr Zehra was celebrated for her vast knowledge of Urdu literature and her five-decade-long teaching career. She served as chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) in 2006 and played an active role in promoting gender equality and education reform.
Born in Lahore, she earned her BA from Lahore College for Women University, MA in Urdu from Government College University, and later completed an MA in Asian Studies and a PhD in History from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
Throughout her illustrious career, she taught and held leadership positions at CWU, LUMS, NCA, and the School of Public Policy, before serving as meritorious professor of history at Forman Christian College, a post she resigned from last year due to health concerns.
