Tehmina Durrani Biography: Husband, Age, Books, First Lady, Net Worth, Children

Tehmina Durrani, a prominent Pakistani author, artist, and activist, is celebrated for her fearless advocacy for women’s and children’s rights, particularly through her groundbreaking autobiography, My Feudal Lord (1991).

Known for exposing the abuse she endured during her marriage to politician Mustafa Khar, she shocked Pakistan’s conservative society and emerged as a leading feminist voice.

Her work as a writer and activist, combined with her role as the First Lady of Pakistan since 2022, married to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has solidified her influence in challenging societal norms and championing social justice.

Profile

• Full Name: Tehmina Durrani
• Stage Name: None
• Born: February 18, 1953
• Age: 72 years old
• Birthplace: Karachi, Pakistan
• Nationality: Pakistani
• Occupation: Author, Artist, Women’s and Children’s Rights Activist
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Shahkur Ullah Durrani, Samina Durrani
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Anees Khan (m. 1970–1976), Ghulam Mustafa Khar (m. 1976–1990), Shehbaz Sharif (m. 2003–)
• Children: Tania Khan, Naseeba, Ayesha, Noreena, Hamza Khar
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $1 million

Early Life and Education

Tehmina Durrani was born on February 18, 1953, in Karachi, Pakistan, to Shahkur Ullah Durrani, a former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and managing director of Pakistan International Airlines, and Samina Durrani, daughter of Nawab Sir Liaqat Hayat Khan, a former prime minister of Patiala.

Details about her siblings are not publicly known. Raised in a privileged family, she attended the same school as Benazir Bhutto, though specific details about her educational institutions or degrees remain undisclosed.

Of mixed Pashtun and Punjabi descent, and her religion is Islam.

Career

Tehmina Durrani began her public journey with the release of My Feudal Lord in 1991, a raw and controversial autobiography detailing the domestic abuse she suffered during her 14-year marriage to Ghulam Mustafa Khar, a prominent Pakistani politician.

Facing initial rejection from publishers due to its bold content, she self-published the book, which became an international bestseller, translated into 40 languages. The work exposed the hypocrisy of Pakistan’s feudal elite and sparked widespread debate, establishing her as a courageous voice against patriarchal oppression.

Her activism deepened after working with Abdul Sattar Edhi, Pakistan’s revered humanitarian, for three years. Living with the Edhi family, she authored his biography, A Mirror to the Blind (1996), which captured his selfless dedication to social welfare.

Durrani’s third book, Blasphemy (1998), a novel based on real events, tackled the exploitation of women by religious leaders, further cementing her reputation for addressing taboo issues.

In 2001, she launched the Ana Hadjra Labaek movement to empower women through Islamic rights, and in 2015, she founded the Tehmina Durrani Foundation, which officially began operations in 2017, focusing on women’s empowerment and humanitarian causes.

Currently, as the First Lady of Pakistan since her husband Shehbaz Sharif’s appointment as Prime Minister in 2022, Durrani continues her advocacy through the Tehmina Durrani Foundation, emphasizing women’s economic independence and support for acid attack survivors, notably Fakhra Younus, whom she helped relocate to Italy for treatment.

Her recent works include the novel Happy Things in Sorrow Times (2013), which explores Afghan socio-political dynamics. As an artist, her exhibitions like Catharsis (1992) and A Love Affair (2016) complement her literary efforts, reflecting themes of oppression and resilience.

Her influence as a feminist and activist remains a powerful force in Pakistan and beyond.

Social Media

• Twitter Handle: @TehminaDurrani

Personal Life

Tehmina Durrani’s personal life has been marked by significant challenges and high-profile relationships. At 17, she married Anees Khan in 1970, with whom she had a daughter, Tania, before divorcing in 1976.

Her second marriage to Ghulam Mustafa Khar in 1976 produced four children—Naseeba, Ayesha, Noreena, and Hamza—but ended in 1990 after years of abuse, which she detailed in My Feudal Lord.

In 2003, she married Shehbaz Sharif, then Chief Minister of Punjab and now Prime Minister of Pakistan, in a private ceremony in Dubai.

Net Worth

Tehmina Durrani’s estimated net worth is approximately $1 million USD. Her wealth primarily derives from her successful writing career, with My Feudal Lord achieving global acclaim and translations into 40 languages.