Editorial · October 2026
Pakistani women writers behind the biggest blockbuster dramas
Pakistani dramas are watched by millions of fans around the world, and many of the biggest hits were written by women. From the PTV classics of the 1970s and 1980s to the YouTube giants of today, these 11 writers shaped the stories people still talk about. Credits, channels and years were checked against published sources.
1. Umera Ahmed
Umera Ahmed is a novelist and screenwriter whose books are read across the Urdu-speaking world. Many of her TV serials began life as her own novels, and she is known for stories about faith, family pressure and self-belief.
- Dar-e-Nijaat: ARY Digital, 2026. Her current serial and one of the most talked-about dramas of the season.
- Zindagi Gulzar Hai: HUM TV, 2012. Based on her novel, a story of a hard-working young woman that won fans well beyond Pakistan.
- Durr-e-Shehwar: HUM TV, 2012. A short 15-episode serial about the hard work of keeping a marriage together.
- Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan: Geo Entertainment, 2009. Based on her novel, a story of love, doubt and forgiveness across two generations.
- Shehr-e-Zaat: HUM TV, 2012. Based on her novella, about a woman searching for meaning beyond wealth and looks.
- Alif: Geo Entertainment, 2019. A spiritual drama based on her novel that won strong praise from critics.
2. Farhat Ishtiaq
Farhat Ishtiaq is a novelist and screenwriter who turned several of her own books into hit serials. Her romantic stories are known for strong female leads and slow-burning emotion.
- Humsafar: HUM TV, 2011. Adapted from her novel, it is still one of the most famous Pakistani dramas ever made.
- Diyar-e-Dil: HUM TV, 2015. Based on her novella, a family saga about pride and reunion.
- Udaari: HUM TV, 2016. Took on child sexual abuse, a subject TV had long avoided.
- Yaqeen Ka Safar: HUM TV, 2017. Based on her novel Woh Yakeen Ka Naya Safar, about two people rebuilding their lives after hardship.
- Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum: ARY Digital, 2024. A modern romance that became one of the biggest TV hits of its year.
3. Haseena Moin
Haseena Moin (1941–2021) was a playwright for stage, radio and television. She wrote PTV's first original script, Kiran Kahani, at a time when most dramas were based on novels, and she received the Pride of Performance award.
- Ankahi: PTV, 1982. A light, witty serial that is still remembered as a cult classic.
- Tanhaiyaan: PTV, 1986. Brought back much of the Ankahi cast; a sequel followed in 2012.
- Dhoop Kinare: PTV, 1987. Set among doctors at a Karachi hospital and still one of the most loved PTV shows.
4. Bano Qudsia
Bano Qudsia (1928–2017) was a novelist, playwright and thinker, best known for her novel Raja Gidh, a modern Urdu classic. She wrote for both television and stage, in Urdu and Punjabi.
- Aadhi Baat: A play about the daily struggles of a retired headmaster, with Qavi Khan in the lead. It is widely called a classic and was staged again in Islamabad in 2010.
- Tamaseel: One of her best-known plays.
- Hawwa Kay Naam: Another of her best-known works, written as both a play and a book.
5. Nooran Makhdoom
Nooran Makhdoom is a screenwriter who reached a huge global audience with a single serial, proof that one big story can make a name.
- Tere Bin: Geo Entertainment, from December 2022. A fiery love story that became a massive hit on YouTube and on TV.
6. Samira Fazal
Samira Fazal is a screenwriter and author known for emotional family stories. She won the Lux Style Award for Best TV Writer in 2012.
- Dastaan: HUM TV, 2010. Adapted from Razia Butt's novel Bano, a love story set during the 1947 Partition.
- Mann Mayal: HUM TV, 2016. A love story about two people kept apart by class.
7. Saima Akram Chaudhry
Saima Akram Chaudhry is a screenwriter famous for warm, funny family dramas, especially the Ramadan specials that air every night during the holy month.
- Suno Chanda: HUM TV, 2018. A Ramadan comedy built around wedding traditions that became a seasonal favourite.
- Chupke Chupke: HUM TV, 2021. A Ramadan comedy about a family split by a rivalry between two wives.
8. Faiza Iftikhar
Faiza Iftikhar is a novelist and screenwriter known for romantic and social plays such as Dil Lagi and Aunn Zara. She won the Lux Style Award for Best TV Writer for Ranjha Ranjha Kardi.
- Mitti De Baway: Green Entertainment, from September 2026. One of the most-watched new serials of the season.
9. Fatima Surayya Bajia
Fatima Surayya Bajia (1930–2016) was a novelist and playwright who wrote for PTV from its early years. She was honoured at home and abroad, and was also known for her social welfare work.
- Shama: PTV, 1976. Adapted from A.R. Khatoon's novel and now seen as a cult classic.
- Aroosa: PTV, 1994. Adapted from Zubaida Khatoon's novel; it gave Adnan Siddiqui his TV debut.
10. Razia Butt
Razia Butt was one of the most popular Urdu fiction writers of the 1960s and 1970s, with a huge household readership. Several of her books were adapted for film and television.
- Bano (novel), adapted as Dastaan: HUM TV, 2010. Samira Fazal turned her Partition-era novel into one of the decade's most respected serials.
11. Asma Nabeel
Asma Nabeel (died 2021) was a screenwriter, poet and producer. Her dramas often took on hard social issues, from violence against women to justice for victims.
- Khaani: Geo Entertainment, 2017. A revenge drama inspired by a real 2012 murder case in Karachi.
- Khuda Mera Bhi Hai: ARY Digital, 2016–17. Told the story of a family raising an intersex child.
- Baandi: HUM TV, 2018. A village girl caught between her father's debt, a cruel landlord and an unlikely love.
- Surkh Chandni: ARY Digital, 2019. Followed an acid attack survivor's fight for justice.
Why these writers matter
Many of these women started as novelists, and their books gave TV its strongest characters. They wrote about love, but also about class, faith, abuse and justice, and their work helped Pakistani dramas find fans far beyond South Asia. For more great serials, see our top 20 dramas of all time or browse all dramas.