It’s been four years on Monday since former first lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, a bearer of eastern traditions, left for her heavenly abode. Begum Kulsoom Nawaz was born in 1950 to Dr Hafeez Butt in a Kashmiri family in Lahore. World-renowned wrestler the Great Gama was his maternal grandfather. She received her primary education from Madrasah Al-Banat after which she matriculated from Lady Griffin School, Lahore. She completed her pre-medical degree from Islamia College, Lahore, BSc from FC College, Lahore, and Master of Arts (MA) in Urdu Literature from Punjab University (PU), Lahore. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Begum Kulsoom Nawaz got married in 1971. She is the first woman of Pakistan who got the honour of being the first lady three times.

 Compassion, love, nobility, contentment, generosity, patience and tolerance were the valuable traits of her personality. She continued to play an active role in important decisions of her husband Nawaz Sharif’s life, politics and party. She stood firm during the dictatorial regime of Pervez Musharraf. After the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, Kulsoom Nawaz won the by-election from NA-120 in 2017. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she was taken to London for treatment where she left for her heavenly abode on September 11, 2018. She was laid to rest in Jati Umra, Raiwind, next to her father-in-law late Mian Muhammad Sharif.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)