Recalling Umer Sharif’s thoughtful act towards an unidentified woman, his wife

The widow of Pakistan’s well-known comedian Umer Sharif, Zareen Ghazal, recently spoke candidly during a special Ramadan broadcast on a private TV station. She described how her late husband was always willing to help others and would treat everyone’s daughters as if they were his own.

“It was a habit for people to feel superior to Umer and never approach him for assistance,” Ghazal said.

She went on to tell a story about how Sharif, with just a day’s notice, assisted an elderly woman in organizing meals for her daughter’s wedding. “A guard once approached us while we were seated in our office at the production company he owned, telling us about a woman who had made an appointment to see him. She recalled, “At first, I told him to send her off, saying, ‘We are not here,’ but she wasn’t ready to leave somehow.

“We eventually called her in because it had been a few hours and she was adamant about meeting him,” Ghazal continued. “She came and told Umer about her daughter’s marriage and that they have prepared everything, except for food to serve the guests,” she said, passing him a chit with her address scrawled on it.

We were all taken aback by her straightforward statement, “Food for 500 guests must reach this address tomorrow.” Umer Sharif called his caterer right away, gave him the address, and instructed them to set up the tent and all other necessary items for a wedding ceremony in addition to the food,” she said.

“He even requested that the caterer remain at the event to ensure that everyone had a good meal.”