Tahira Wasti

Tahira Wasti (Punjabi, طاہرہ واسطی) (1944 – 11 March 2012) was a well-known Pakistani writer and television actress. She was one of the leading actresses of Pakistan Television Screens. She was one of the most popular actress of her time and was one of the most successful actress of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. She is best known for portrayal of Isabella of Castile in the TV drama Shaheen.

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

Career
Tahira Wasti started her career with writing articles in a magazine at the age of 16 and she also worked as an English newscaster on PTV News in 1964. Tahira started working at Pakistan Television Corporation in 1968 by acting in a TV 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 special interest in science fiction.

Personal life
She was the wife of TV actor and English language newscaster Rizwan Wasti and was mother of TV actress Laila Wasti. Maria Wasti a famous TV actress is her niece.

Illness and death
Tahira had developed heart ailments, depression because of her husband's death and diabetes. She died of natural causes on 11 March 2012, in Karachi, at the age of 68.

Television series

 * Afshan
 * Daldal
 * Fishaar
 * Jaib Katra - 1968
 * Jaangloos
 * Pyas - 1989
 * Kashkol - 1990s
 * Shaheen
 * Raat
 * Andhera Ujala
 * Shikayatain Hakayatain
 * Tipu Sultan: The Tiger Lord
 * Harjai
 * Fanooni Lateefay
 * Dil, Diya, Dehleez
 * Maamta
 * Shanakht
 * Moorat
 * Doraha
 * Raat Gaye
 * StarNite
 * Chotay Baray Loag
 * Deewana
 * Harjaee
 * Aakhri Chatan
 * Aawazain
 * Chand Grehan
 * Dil Ki Dehleez Par
 * Nadan Nadia
 * Khaleej
 * Shaam Se Pehlay (PTV drama serial)
 * Noori Jam Tamachi
 * Heer Waris Shah (PTV drama serial)
 * Bushra Bushra
 * Damad House
 * Parsa
 * Pukaar

Telefilm

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

Film

 * Kyun Tum Say Itna Pyar Hai

As a writer

 * Deemak (Long play)
 * Parsa (screenplay writer)
 * Hazaron Saal (co-writer)
 * Bheegi Palkain (writer)

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