Tribute to Bilquis Gul (1923-2018)

Islamabad Bilquis Gul passed away in Islamabad last week. Born in Batala, East Punjab as Bilquis Akhtar, she did her Adeeb Alam/Adeeb Fazil (equivalent of F.A). Got married in 1940 at an early age of seventeen to Agha Gul (who later shined as G.A. Gul -- film producer-distributor-cinema and studios owner). Her ‘baraat’ dazzled with guests from Peshawar and Lahore. Agha Gul's father, Col. Ghulam Mohammad, physician to Afghan king, lead the ‘baraat’ procession. Bilquis Akhtar now Bilquis Gul, shifted to Peshawar and began her domestic life which continued till the end.

As a son, I saw her working in the kitchen from early morning till late night. As the time dragged on, her only passion and commitment in life was to run the household and raise four children (Riaz Gul, Fayyaz Gul, Aijaz Gul and Farida Haroon).

G.A. Gul's passions for movie business knew no limits. He hired cinemas in Peshawar on weekly rental and ran films as third party, many a time films came on credit from his Guru Seth Jagat Narain of Jagat Talkies in New Delhi. As the cash poured in, G.A. Gul constructed Firdaus Cinema in late-forties. Still later, he shifted to Lahore for greener pastures and made it big in film production distribution and studios. Bilquis Gul remained in Peshawar and the three boys went to boarding school in Aitchison College Lahore. G.A. Gul who did not get to go to college himself, made sure that his children got the best education both here and later abroad. Nothing would have pleased the mother anything else in life.

As the years passed into decades, Bilquis Gul's priorities remained the same - to serve her family like a faithful wife and dedicated mother. She had no part in the gloss and glamour of Lahore film industry which was now part and parcel of her husband. As the boys returned from abroad after finishing their education, she remained with them at Lahore and later in Islamabad. Living alone in Peshawar, away from her husband and three sons for almost thirty years, gave her the courage to face hardship and trials of life. As I look back on her life, she had the determination to move on notwithstanding the odds and hiccups.

Yes, the spring returned for all of us all and she did have her best days. We were with her in our winter and summer vacations from Aitchison College. And when the holidays ended and it was time to take the train back to Lahore, she came to the railway station to bid us farewell. As the train left the platform, she too moved with the train till the end of the platform and kept watching the train into the distance. We were again with her for our summer holidays in Murree. Stayed at Ritz Hotel (owned then by family friend Agha Ghulam Rasool). He also owned adjoining Capital Cinema. Murree then was a place to cherish before becoming a concrete jungle.

Bilquis Gul was cut out or she moulded herself into a selfless person where her concerns and needs meant nothing. It was first the husband, children and then finally grandchildren and their world which became her world. G.A. Gul passed away in 1983. She received ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ from the President for him in 1985. With the passage of years, she mellowed down. Bedridden after she took a fall, she loved to be with the grandchildren and grand grandchild.

After her passing, we should not mourn her demise but celebrate the life of a woman who achieved her ambition of making it good in life and making it good for others. Her family and friends cannot think of her any other way.

aijazzgul@gmail.com