Yasmeen Ismail

Born in Rawalpindi on March 28, 1950, Yasmeen Ismail studied in many schools and convents as her father, an army colonel, got posted from one place to another. She graduated from Home Economics College.

She moved to Karachi shortly after her father’s death in 1971. She got married in 1974. Her association with PTV began in the late 1960s. Theatre lured her away as she became the head of the Karachi chapter of the Gripp’s Theatre in 1980. She directed about 24 plays. Their plays, mostly written/adapted by playwright Imran Aslam, were appreciated by people. A little before Ramazan, she directed her last play, titled Osama ho to samaney aiy, which was written by Mr Aslam. Ismail became director of Gripp's Theatre in Karachi in 1980.[1]

At the time of her death, her son, Amal Ismail, was a 22-year-old entrepreneur and her daughter, Sila Ismail, was an 18-year-old student of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Her husband, Tariq Ismail, was a chief executive officer of a pharmaceutical company. Ismail died of ovarian cancer on 18 January 2002 in Karachi after battling with it for 5 years. She was laid to rest after Asr prayers on Friday in the Army Graveyard in Defence Housing Authority Karachi.[1]

• Tanhaiyaan (1985) (PTV)

• Osama ho to samaney aiy (last play before death)[1]