factContentEntertainment•11 Nov 2025
NEWS
| DR Arfa Sayeda Zehra | |
| عارفہ سیدہ زہرا | |
 | |
| Born | 22 June 1937Lahore, Punjab Province, British India |
| Died | 10 November 2025 (aged 88)Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, human rights activist |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Hawaii at ManoaLahore College for Women UniversityGovernment College University, Lahore |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Urdu language |
| Institutions | Forman Christian CollegeLahore College for Women University |
Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra, a human rights activist, poet and education expert, died on Monday.
Dr Arfa Zehra had passed in Lahore at age 83.
“Dr Arfa will be buried in her family graveyard, Cavalry Ground, Lahore, tomorrow, and the time of her funeral will be announced at a later time.” Dr Zehra was excellent in Urdu literature and language and served as a teacher for over 50 years. She had also been a member of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and served as its chairperson in 2006.www.factcontent.comEntertainment
she completed her Bachelor of Arts (BA) with honours from Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) and a Master of Arts (MA) in Urdu from Government College University in Lahore, an MA in Asian Studies and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History from the University of Hawaii in Manoa.
She also served as a teacher and principal at LCWU as well as the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), National College of Arts, and School of Public Policy, Government of Pakistan. In addition, she was a meritorious professor of history at the Forman Christian College in Lahore, resigning last year due to health issues.
Qualities:
- Educational Leadership: She has served in key academic roles, including as the Vice Chancellor of the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU).
- Urdu Literature & Philosophy: Her expertise spans Urdu literature, South Asian history, feminist thought, and Iqbalian philosophy.
- Powerful Oratory: Dr. Zehra is widely admired for her compelling and insightful lectures, which often explore themes of identity, culture, gender, and societal transformation.
Books:
- “Baat Se Baat” (بات سے بات): This is a series of books (often in multiple volumes) that are direct transcriptions of her landmark television lecture series of the same name. In these talks, she delves deep into Urdu poetry, philosophy, and culture. If you are looking for a “book by Dr. Arfa Sayeda Zehra,” finding “Baat Se Baat” is your best bet. It captures her voice, her flow of ideas, and her analytical style perfectly.
اک باب ختم ہوا
— Um E Naroon Khan (@UmeNaroon98) November 11, 2025
اک عہد تمام ہوا #DrArfaSayedaZehra pic.twitter.com/nldS2KAVQg
