Kulsoom was granddaughter of Gama Pehlwan

LAHORE: Late Kulsoom Nawaz was the granddaughter of undivided India’s all-time greatest wrestling king, Ghulam Mohammad Baksh (1878 – 1960) alias Gama Pehlwan, who had remained unbeaten throughout his 52-year long career that had seen him instantly trampling all over numerous legends of the ring including the 7-foot tall Indian wrestler, Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala, Dr. Benjamin Roller of the United States, World Champion Stanislaus Zbyszko from Poland, European Champion Johann Lemm from Switzerland and another World Champion, Jesse Peterson from Sweden etc.

Kulsoom’s maternal family had played a pivotal role in her husband Nawaz Sharif’s political success from the very outset. When Mian Nawaz Sharif had first entered politics in early 1980s, Gama Pehlwan’s globally- renowned wrestler sons and Kulsoom’s maternal uncles—Manzoor Hussain alias Bholu Pehlwan, Akram alias Akki, Azam Pehlwan, Moazzam alias Goga Pehlwan and late wrestling sensation Zubair Jhara’s father, Aslam Pehlwan alias Accha (World Heavyweight Champion), had taken an active part in his electoral campaign in Walled City, where they held immense sway and influence to muster support for the budding industrialist-cum-politician.

Daughter of Dr. Abdul Hafeez Butt, from whom she had inherited humility, Kulsoom had three siblings--two sisters and a brother.