Amina Nazli

Amina Nazli was an Urdu-language writer, editor, and feminist activist in Pakistan. She was daughter-in-law of Allama Rashid ul Khairi, and the mother of prominent jurist Haziqul Khairi. She passed the Adib-i-Fazil examinations, an equivalent to a bachelor's degree, at the University of the Punjab. She began writing in earnest in the 1940s, part of a new generation of fiction writers in the region. She was known for writing Urdu-language short stories, and she was also one of Pakistan's few women playwrights at the time. Her writing at times dealt with the trauma of displacement, drawing on her own experiences, and sometimes veered into the satirical. She published several books of short stories and plays over the course of her career. In addition, she produced several books on women's handicrafts and cooking, including the popular cookbook Ismati Dastarkhwan, which compiled recipes from the women of Awadh. She was also an editor, helming the women's social and literary magazine Ismat from 1979 until her death, having previously contributed to the journal under her father-in-law's editorship. Under her leadership, the publication increasingly incorporated political news updates both from Pakistan and from around the world. From 1977 to 1982, she also edited the monthly publication Johar-e-niswan. Nazli was a feminist who advocated for women's rights among Muslim communities in the Indian subcontinent. She eventually settled in Karachi, where she was credited with helping to foster a liberal environment. She died in Lahore on 2 February 1996. She was 82 years old. Her death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes from the media industry and beyond. She was praised for breaking the stereotypes of beauty in Pakistan and empowering darker-skinned women. She was described as stunning, unapologetic, professional, and talented by her colleagues and friends.