Real name Salma Mahmuda, daughter of Mian Fazal Ilahi Bedil, was born in August 1908 at Gujranwala. Brought up and educated in a scholarly atmosphere, Begum Tasadduque began to understand the value of art and literature early in life. In 1922, she was married to Dr. Tasadduque Hussain, Bar-at-Law. She continued her studies even after her marriage and completed her graduation from the University of Punjab. With the formation of the Punjab Provincial Women’s Subcommittee, she became its most active member and in 1940 she was elected as one of its Secretaries. She helped in opening up primary schools and industrial homes for girls at Lahore.
In 1941, she was nominated to the Council of the All India Muslim League. In April 1943, she was taken on by the Central Subcommittee of the All India Muslim League. She played a leading part in the Bengal Relief Fund Committee. In 1944, she was nominated as a member of the working committee of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League.
She rendered valuable services during the elections of 1946. She successfully contested on the Muslim League ticket for the Punjab Provincial Assembly seat from the inner Lahore constituency, winning by an overwhelming majority. The same year she was again taken on by the working committee of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League.
She worked very hard during the Bihar riots, helping the Bihar refugees in their camps, and staying for nearly two months in the affected areas. She brought refugees from Bihar and provided accommodation to many of them at her residence.
In 1947, as Secretary of the Women’s Subcommittee, she was heavily occupied with the organization and management of women’s possessions. She participated in some processions and was eventually arrested along with other Muslim League members of the Punjab Assembly. Her activities did not remain confined to Punjab; she also took personal interest in the affairs of other provinces. When the Civil Disobedience Movement spread to the N. W. F. P., she went there with her colleagues and assisted in the organization of processions.
During the Partition riots, she was appointed Refugee Relief Secretary in the provincial Muslim League office and her duties were to receive the refugees from other areas and make arrangements for their boarding and lodging in Walton and other camps.
In the field of literature, she has attained a remarkable position as a writer and poet. Her poems and short stories have appeared in the leading Urdu journals. The translation of ‘Cleopatra’ into Urdu is one of her achievements.
She died on August 7, 1995.
This article was last updated on Sunday, June 01, 2003
