ISLAMABAD - Samina Raja, a renowned Urdu poetess, writer, editor, translator, educationist and broadcaster, passed away here on Tuesday due to illness. She was 51.

She was suffering from cancer. Her funeral, to be held after Zohr prayers, will be taken out from House No 53, Street No 96, Sector I-8/4 here on Wednesday (today). She is survived by three sons.
Samina Raja was born on September 11, 1961 in Rahim Yar Khan. She held a Master’s degree in Urdu Literature from the University of Punjab, Lahore. She started writing poetry in 1973 and got published 12 books of poetry, two Kulliyat and one selection of romantic poetry.
She also wrote some books in Urdu prose, besides editing and translating some valuable works of prose from English to Urdu.
Raja joined the National Book Foundation as a consultant and editor of monthly Kitab in 1998. She also joined monthly Aassar as an editor the same year.
As a media person, she conducted a number of All Pakistan Mushairas since 1995 on Pakistan Television (PTV). She also presented a long series of a famous literary programme Urdu Adab Mein Aurat Ka Kirdar (Role of Woman in Urdu Literature) on PTV.