Zaitoon Bano

Zaitoon Bano is a Pakistani poet, novelist, and broadcaster who served as an advocate for women's rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She primarily produced literary works in the Pashto and Urdu languages. Throughout her life, she authored over 24 books.

Early life and education

Zaitoon Bano was born on 18 June 1938 to Pir Syed Sultan Mahmood Shah. Her birthplace was the Sufaid Dheri village of Peshawar, Pakistan. She was the granddaughter of the Pashto poet Pir Syed Abdul Qudus Tundar. This family connection to literature shaped her early environment.

She completed her primary schooling and matriculation at a city school. Later, she obtained a master's degree from Islamia College University as a private student. Her studies focused on Pashto and Urdu. After finishing her education, she began working as a teacher at various institutions, including Peshawar Public School.

Career

Bano started her literary journey in 1958 while she was still a ninth-grade student. Her debut work was a short story titled Hindara (Mirror), which remains a prominent piece of Pashto literature. Between 1958 and 2008, she focused on writing fiction books and short stories. She published works such as Maat Bangree, Khoboona (1958), and Juandi Ghamoona (1958). Other notable publications include Berge Arzoo (1980) and Waqt Kee Dehleez Par (1980).

She also wrote the short story collection Da Shagu Mazal (A Journey Through Sands) between 1958 and 2017. While she was prolific in prose, she published only one Pashto poetry collection titled Manjeela (head cushion) in 2006. Her media career involved several significant roles. She worked with Radio Pakistan and the Pakistan Television Corporation before joining the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation as a producer.

Bano is credited with contributing to numerous radio and television plays. She is often recognized as the first Pashto literati to address the social issues of Pashtun women through her writing.

Personal life

Zaitoon Bano married Taj Saeed during her lifetime. She remained a dedicated figure in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region until her passing. She died on 14 September 2021 at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. Her death followed a chronic condition.

Awards and recognition

The author received 15 national literary awards for her contributions to Pashto and Urdu fiction. These honors include the Pride of Performance and the Fakhr-i-Peshawar award. In 2016, a panel of the Sustainable Development Goals honored her during an International Women’s Day celebration. They granted her the honorary title Khatun-e-Awal, which means "first lady," or "first lady of Pashto fiction." This title recognized her service to women's rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.