DEATH came calling and took away our dearest friend Naushaba Burney, a dedicated journalist and an ardent spokesperson for all that goes to make or break womanhood. She was a noble soul, as gentle as a rose petal; a very refined lady with a passion for life and full of compassion for fellow human beings. She never spoke ill of anybody, and had a word of praise for everyone she knew.

We go a long way back. Our fathers served in Nagpur, India. Her father, the late Ittat Hussian Sahib, was transferred to federal service and moved to Delhi. He opted for Pakistan, where he looked after Kashmir affairs.

His ability to handle such a tricky subject was noted by the then prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan. He was given the charge of the newly-established Kashmir Affairs Division and later served as our counsul-general in California

One of her illustrious siblings is Ameena Saiyid, who heads the Oxford University Press and is the architect of the annual Karachi Literature Festival.

We have lost in Naushaba Burney an icon for the community; it is also a personal loss.My heart goes out to the bereaved family.

Aijazuddin
Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2016