Tahira Wasti

• Name — Tahira Wasti طاہرہ واسطی • Birth Name — Tahira Bokhari • Born — 1944 • Birthplace — Sargodha, Khushab, Punjab, British India • Died — 11 March 2012 • Place of death — Karachi, Pakistan • Years Active — 1964-2012 • Occupation — * Actress • writer • newscaster • Spouse — Rizwan Wasti (husband) • Children — Laila Wasti (daughter) Rehan Wasti (son) • Relatives — Maria Wasti (niece) Fahad Rehmani (son-in-law)

Tahira was born in 1944 in Sargodha, Punjab, (British India), now in Pakistan. She received her early education from Sargodha, and later moved to Lahore for higher education, then Karachi.

Tahira Wasti started her career with writing articles in a magazine at the age of 16, and also worked as an English newscaster on PTV News in 1964. Tahira started working as an actor in the 1968 Pakistan Television Corporation in 1968 drama serial Jaib Katra based on a novel by Saadat Hasan Manto. She appeared in a number of TV dramas from 1968 until the 1990s, most of them have become classics of PTV, such as Kashkol, Jaangloos, and Daldal. Her prominent personality made her famous for playing regal roles suitable for representing royal, feudal, or upper-class families, as in TV plays like Tipu Sultan: The Tiger Lord, Shaheen, and Aakhri Chatan. She also wrote plays for television and showed a special interest in science fiction.

She was the wife of TV actor and English language newscaster Rizwan Wasti; they are the parents of TV actress Laila Wasti. Maria Wasti, a famous TV actress, is her niece.

Tahira had developed heart ailments, diabetes and had been deeply affected by her husband's death in January 2011. She died of natural causes on 11 March 2012, in Karachi, at the age of 68.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1980 — Shaheen — Ra'ena • 1981 — Afshan — Najmus Sehar • 1983 — Shikayatain Hakayatain — Dr. Almas • 1984 — Andhera Ujala — Nasir's mother • 1985 — Guriya — Begum Waqar • Raat Gaye — Ahmed's mother • Aakhri Chatan — Malka-e-Bortai • 1986 — Khaleej — Zonia's mother • 1987 — Raat — Mariyam Bari • 1988 — Fligt 033 — Passenger • 1989 — Jangloos — Nasira • Pyas — Zainab • 1990 — Fishaar — Bilqees Anis • 1991 — Chotay Baray Log — Rubina • 1992 — Nadan Nadia — Tahira • 1993 — Kashkol — Salma • 1995 — Chand Grehan — Khanum • 1994 — Heer Waris Shah — Malki • 1995 — Pukaar — Malka-e-Helena • 1996 — Awazain — Shireen Gul • Noori Jam Tamachi — Bela • Chand Sa Mukhra — Amir's mother • Fanooni Lateefay — Parveen • 1997 — Shanakht — Begum Waqar • 1997 — Tipu Sultan — Rani Lakshra • 1998 — Maidaan-e-Mohabbat — Begum Kahlil • Operation Dwarka 1965 — Begum Commissioner • 1999 — Barzakh — Begum Tanveer • 2000 — Harjaee — Azra • 2004–05 — Moorat — Reshma's mother • 2006 — Damaad House — Gulnar • Dil, Diya, Dehleez — Mrs. Khan • 2007 — Hyderabad Junction — Samina • 2008–09 — Doraha — Samina

• Operation Dwarka 1965 • Uss Ki Biwi (a telefilm) • Karwat

In 2021 on 16 August the Government of Pakistan named a street and intersection after her in Lahore.

• Year — Award — Category — Result — Title — Ref. • 2005 — 1st Indus Drama Awards — Best Writer — Bheegi Palkain