Qudsia Bano

Qudsia Bano was born on 28 November 1928 in Ferozpur, East Punjab and moved with her family to Lahore, Pakistan during the Partition of India. Her father, a landlord with a Bachelor's degree in agriculture, died when she was young. Her mother, Mrs. Chattah, was an educator.

Before moving to Lahore, Qudsia Bano attended school in Dharamsala in eastern India. She graduated from Kinnaird College in Lahore. In 1951, she completed her MA degree in Urdu from the Government College Lahore. She married novelist Ashfaq Ahmed.

Qudsia wrote for college magazines and other journals.  She wrote numerous short stories, novelettes, television and radio plays, and stage plays. Her short stories include Baz Gasht, Amar Bail, Doosra Darwaza and Twajju ki Talib.

Qudsia wrote the novel Raja Gidh which revolves around the symbol of a vulture that feeds on dead flesh and carcasses with the premise that indulgence in the forbidden leads to physical and mental degeneration. Her plays include Tamasil, Hawa key Naam, Seharay and Khaleej. The plight of women and other socio-economic issues have often been the subject of her television serials.

In 1986, The Graduate Award for Best Playwright was conferred on Bano, followed by the same award for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. In 1986, she was also given the Taj Award for Best Playwright.