KARACHI: A galaxy of showbiz celebs and media personnel descended on the Arts Council of Pakistan on Sunday evening to pay tribute to the founder of the Hum TV Network and eminent TV producer and director Sultana Siddiqui.

Former senator and filmmaker Javed Jabbar pointed out three qualities in Ms Siddiqui: one, consistency of character and values; two, courage which enabled her to become a trailblazer; 3, capability.

Actress Mahira Khan highlighted the fact that Ms Siddiqui has named her businesses after her daughters-in-law.

She commented, “She was a feminist before it was cool to be a feminist. Not once have I ever seen her doing nothing, she’s always doing something. I hope more of us can go on to become like her.”

Friends, family and her admirers pay tribute to Sultana Siddiqui

She also remembered the time when Ms Siddiqui used to say to her, “tough ho jao” (get tough).

Actor Adnan Siddiqi said his mother died when he was very young. Had she been alive she’d have been like Ms Siddiqui. “Whatever I am today, is because of her.”

Mehtab Akbar Rashdi went down memory lane and talked about the college from where she had studied. She then said: “There are ups and downs in everyone’s life. But God gives success to those whose hearts and minds are clean, and who think good about others. People have gathered here because they love her [Ms Siddiqui]. As a professional she began from PTV and when she did children’s show, she used to pick up every child and bring them to the studio.”

Actress Zeba Bakhtiar said Ms Siddiqui is approachable and no matter who she interacts with, she never lets them feel small.

Hameed Haroon said Ms Siddiqui is a model woman. “She was born into a family not of great wealth but of great intellect and drive. She has worked herself from the very bottom of the ladder and did so with remarkable strength. [At the time when she began her career] there were very few women in the media than we see today. All the women who worked in that period worked with tremendous commitment, ability and a sense of performance… She worked in PTV when it used to be a powerhouse that attracted some of the greatest creative minds of the country. But what she set out to do was completely different — she became somebody who set up a media organisation.”

He added Ms Siddiqui needs to establish a task force focusing on the issues of women in Pakistani society.

Ms Siddiqui’s son Shunaid spoke about the fact that she raised her children as a single mother, and despite being an entrepreneur gave full attention to her children.

Actor Humayun Saeed said if today Pakistani drama is deemed successful, then the credit goes to Ms Siddiqui. It was her vision to produce dramas from the private sector.

When Ms Siddiqui came to the podium to deliver her speech, she was visibly moved by her friends’ loving gesture. She thanked the Arts Council for giving her tribute in her life.

“Today, I got an opportunity to know myself. All these things [that were said about her on Sunday] you can earn from hard work and dedication. Discipline is very important. Make a goal for yourself and keep moving. I’m happy that my legacy will be carried forward by my children,” she said.

Anwar Maqsood, Arif Habib, Islahuddin, Javed Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, Ahmed Shah, Noorul Huda Shah, Sanam Saeed, Aijaz Aslam and many others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2024