Celebrated TV actress Safia Khairi passes away

Celebrated Pakistani TV actress Safia Khairi passed away Saturday night in Karachi, at the aged of 86. The news of her sad dismissal was shared on social media by her daughter Umber Khairi.

Umber Khairi, posted on Twitter: My mother #SafiaKhairi has gone after a long and interesting life. Beautiful, compassionate, opinionated woman with a very strong sense of right and wrong. RIP

Safia Khairi, known as Khairi Begum started acting in 1992 with Haseena Moeen’s  drama series  Kasak, in which she portrayed the role of a grandmother ‘Bi Amma’. And that became her trademark. She was part of many popular TV series including Bund Galli, Chandni Raatein, and Pal Do Pal.

Khairi’s husband, Saad Rashidul Khairi was a diplomat and they spent much of their life outside Pakistan. He died six years ago. Safia Khairi is survived by three children and two grandchildren.

Safia Kheri was born in 1932 in Lucknow where her father served in the provincial government. She along her family, migrated to Pakistan after the partition in 1947. Her experience of migration has been shared in Partition Archives some time ago, which states:

“Safia Khairi and her family spent some time at the refugee camp in Palam Airport, Delhi. Sometime in early September, they finally traveled to the Delhi Airport to catch their flight. On the way, she recalls how they felt sick seeing all the burnt cars and slaughtered bodies scattered everywhere.

Finally, when they boarded the aircraft, it was a first time experience of flying for most of them, including the children. Describing a funny incident involving her elder brother, Safia recalls that her brother felt too hot in the aircraft and opened the aircraft window just when it was taking off, so the pilot had to halt and bring back the aircraft. Subsequently, they got on another flight and finally landed in Karachi”.