The lady behind the name of Karachi’s famous ‘Zaibunisa Street’
Zaibunnissa Hamidullah was a pioneer amongst women journalists of South Asia. A column writer for English newspapers, including Dawn, Zaibunnissa launched Pakistan’s first woman’s weekly in English, The Mirror. Even though a socialite magazine, it often created ripples by its strong political editorials critical of the policies and actions of the rulers of the day in a language and style that at times earned her the wrath of the wielders of power. The power of her pen rattled Ayub Khan when she lashed out at him for elevating himself to the rank of Field Marshal, and in November 1957, his predecessor Iskander Mirza, shut the paper down for six months when Mirror flayed him for dismissing the Suhrawardy ministry. The paper was read as much for its social content as for the biting sarcasm and wit that characterized the writings of its editor. The magazine closed down in 1972 after twenty-one years of struggle against authoritarian trends in our politics and bigotry and fanaticism in society. The sting in her writings earned her quite a few enemies, but even her detractors admired her for the courage of conviction and the strength of character she displayed throughout her professional and personal life.
A terrific 1975 photograph of a scholarly talk show on PTV - Intellectual talk shows were rather popular on TV in Pakistan in the 1970s. This one shows renowned playwrights, Ashfaq Ahmed and Bano Qudsia [centre right], talking about.
