LAHORE: Renowned Pakistani educationist Dr Arifa Syeda Zehra has passed away, leaving behind a profound legacy in education, literature and human rights.
She completed her higher studies in Pakistan and the United States, earning a PhD in history from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Over more than four decades, she taught and led institutions such as Lahore College for Women University and Forman Christian College, shaping generations of students.
Dr Zehra was also a passionate advocate for Urdu language, culture and women’s rights. She chaired the National Commission on the Status of Women and challenged structural inequities, consistently urging society to move beyond symbolic inclusion toward meaningful change.
Her voice resonated beyond classrooms and academia; she engaged in public discourse with clarity and conviction, striving for a Pakistan rooted in intellectual freedom, equality and cultural dignity.
As we remember her life and work, Dr Arifa Syeda Zehra remains an enduring inspiration for educators, writers, activists and all who believe in the power of ideas to transform society.
