(www.thenewslark.com)
By Mehreen Illahi
Begum Salma Ahmed passed away on May 10th, 2026, leaving behind a void that can never truly be filled. For over thirty years, I had the privilege of knowing, working alongside, travelling with, and learning from one of the most spirited, spontaneous, vivacious, and iconic women Pakistan has ever produced. Ours was never merely a professional association; it was a bond of mentorship, affection, admiration, and enduring friendship that became woven into the fabric of my life.
Where should I begin, and how can words truly do justice to such an extraordinary woman? I bid .my final farewell to a remarkable Pakistani whose presence was as commanding and unforgettable in life as it was deeply moving in death, when she lay before us—finally still, and at peace.
When I missed her at home as they took her for Asr prayers at Boat Basin, I rushed there to pay my final respects to my beloved mentor and friend. Somehow, I felt she wanted me to be there beside her in those final moments. I offered my Asr prayers beside her Janazah, just before the men gathered for prayer and lifted her bier for its final journey to the Tariq Road graveyard, where her beloved mother also rests.
As the grave was sealed, slab by slab, I quietly recited Durood Sharif, Surah Mulk, and Surah Kausar for her soul. We were asked to throw handfuls of earth upon the grave, cupping our hands gently so the soil covered each slab. Soon after, rose petals showered upon her resting place like rain, their fragrance seeming to carry one final scented message from our world to hers. Two large garlands were laid upon her grave. Then, one by one, the living departed, leaving the fearless great lady to enter her heavenly abode.
A part of me went into that grave with Begum Salma Ahmed on that sad day. Her passing has left an ache within me that words cannot fully express, and her memory has left an indelible imprint upon my soul.
My association with Begum Salma Ahmed began through my mother, Gaety M. Illahi, herself a pioneering businesswoman. My mother was the only woman textile indenter in Pakistan dealing in textile machinery during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. The two ladies met at various gatherings, including the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) as both were members of the US Business Council.
From the very first moment I met Begum Salma Ahmed, I was mesmerized by her warmth, charm, and extraordinary achievements, which distinguished her from many Pakistani women of her generation — and even today.
She was an exceptionally accomplished woman and a true pioneer in every sense. In the 1960s, she established her own rubber factory and later founded industries such as Sarmast Cooking Oil and Bhitai Rubber Industries. She also worked towards establishing a cement plant. At a time when very few women in Pakistan ventured into industry, Begum Salma Ahmed fearlessly entered spaces traditionally dominated by men and left an unmistakable mark upon them.
Between 1979 and 1983, she achieved the extraordinary distinction of becoming the first woman in the world to work in the ship-breaking industry. She also became the first President of the International Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (IFWE). Winning the prestigious Priyadarshani Award in India for Entrepreneurship was no small feat. Begum Salma Ahmed commanded respect wherever she went and possessed a rare ability to achieve her objectives with authority, intelligence, and determination. She was truly a woman of calibre, substance, and resilience.
After meeting her, I became a member of, the Pakistan Association of Women Entrepreneurs (PAWE) where she served as President. Apart from being a former Member of the National Assembly, Begum Salma Ahmed later became the President of Pakistan’s first Women Chamber in Sindh in 2003. A born leader, she paved the way for a new generation of Pakistani women entrepreneurs and professionals.
Though politics interested her, her true passion remained business and the economic empowerment of women in Pakistan. Her public service began in the 1970s, when she worked tirelessly and selflessly for the rehabilitation of displaced Pakistanis from Bangladesh. She later entered politics and joined the All Pakistan Muslim League, serving as an MNA from 1985 to 1988.
Begum Salma Ahmed was fluent in four languages — Urdu, English, Italian, and Persian. Coming from a privileged and affluent background, she had travelled extensively around the world because her father served as an ambassador. Yet despite her sophistication and global exposure, she remained deeply grounded. She believed passionately in living life on her own terms and finding fulfilment through independence, achievement, and purpose.
When I returned from Boston University in 1995 and established my own business in art and handicrafts, I naturally gravitated towards entrepreneurship. At a very young age, I became Secretary General in her chamber, beginning years of close association, mentorship, and travel together. We travelled several times to India for conferences and exhibitions in Delhi and Bombay. We also travelled together to Nepal for Student World Educational Consultant) (SWEC), and later to South Africa — Durban and Cape Town — for the World Chambers Congress (WCC) conferences. On my very first international trip with her, my mother accompanied us to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, Malaysia, for IFWE.
Begum Salma Ahmed was an eloquent and fiery speaker. Whenever she rose to speak at the dais, she spoke from the heart and held audiences spellbound. I can never forget how thoughtfully and promptly she would send beautiful gifts to consuls general and ambassadors, always accompanied by gracious handwritten thank-you notes.
Beyond her immense achievements, Begum Salma Ahmed was also a woman of extraordinary warmth, elegance, and humanity. She was affectionate, charismatic, vibrant, and fiercely independent. Even in the later years of her life, after a sudden fall on an escalator in Dubai left her with severe back injuries and chronic sciatica pain, she retained her dignity and inner strength despite gradually withdrawing from public life.
During those quieter years, I would often visit her and spend long hours reminiscing about the chamber, our travels, and the many unforgettable experiences we had shared together. I would update her on the business world, and sometimes we would simply sit listening to beautiful Latin songs together.
She was a perfectionist in every sense. Even the letters she wrote reflected refinement, polish, and grace. I will forever miss our conversations, her wit, her humour, and the warmth with which her face would light up whenever I entered the room.
Begum Salma Ahmed was always impeccably groomed and elegant. Her distinctive rings and bracelets adorning her wrists and fingers became part of her unmistakable aura and style. She carried herself with extraordinary dignity and grace, leaving behind a legacy as an iconic Pakistani woman who fearlessly followed her own path and destiny.
She was also a woman of many dimensions — balancing family life and business despite life’s many trials and upheavals. She tried her utmost to be a devoted mother to all six of her children. I also remember how kind she always was to her office assistants, Alex and Christopher, who worked with the chamber for many years. She deeply adored her angelic mother, whom she frequently visited at Bhopal House before eventually bringing her to live in her own home. She also doted upon her only brother, Adrian, who is a poet.
I vividly remember her long legal battle to reclaim her old Clifton house, which had been wrongfully occupied by tenants. That house meant a great deal to her because it had been built through her own hard-earned success. She fought tirelessly in court for ten years to regain it, and when she finally succeeded, it symbolized not only victory, but her fierce determination and indomitable spirit.
At heart, Begum Salma Ahmed possessed a deeply spiritual and profoundly Sufi soul. She loved qawwalis and often hosted soulful musical gatherings at her home. She was also a devotee of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Hazrat Amir Khusro in Delhi, India.
I can only remember Begum Salma Ahmed as a true mover and shaker — fiercely independent, vibrant, elegant, and immensely determined. She was a highly cultivated woman from whom I learnt so much.
We shared a bond built upon admiration, warmth, mentorship, loyalty, and friendship. Pakistan has lost an extraordinary woman, and I have lost not only a mentor, but a cherished friend whose elegance, courage, intellect, and indomitable spirit will remain with me forever.
