A Life of Grace, Generosity and Lasting LegacyTribute to the distinguished botanist

Educationist and former Principal of Federal Government Margalla College for Women, F-7/4, Islamabad
By Prof. Dr. Asma Zahoor
Professor of English, Muslim Youth University, Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federation of University Women (PFUW), Islamabad Chapter, organised a solemn and moving reference at the Banquet Hall, Islamabad Club, to pay tribute to Dr. Faree Naheed Aslam, Professor of Botany and former Principal of Federal Government Margalla College for Women, F-7/4, Islamabad. Colleagues, friends, family members, relatives and former students gathered to celebrate the life of a remarkable woman whose legacy encompasses academic excellence, administrative vision, spiritual depth and exceptional generosity.

Among the heartfelt tributes, those delivered by Dr. Farhat Mujtaba and Professor Tahreem Zafar particularly illuminated the many facets of her personality. Dr. Farhat Mujtaba remembered her as a queen in bearing and spirit—elegant in appearance, magnificent in hospitality, and noble in thought and action. Professor Tahreem Zafar highlighted her spiritual depth, recalling a woman whose heart was pure, whose conduct was free from pretence, and whose worldly pursuits were guided by an abiding consciousness of Allah and the hereafter. Dr. Faree embraced life with remarkable zeal and zest, yet remained mindful of its transience and the eternal journey beyond it.
Professionally, Dr. Faree combined intellectual distinction with administrative acumen and an architect’s eye for beauty. As Vice Principal and Principal, she transformed her college through the beautification of lawns, renovation of the campus and construction of additional blocks. She believed that an educational institution should embody dignity, order and aesthetic harmony. When resources proved insufficient, she readily contributed from her own pocket, placing institutional progress above personal convenience. Honest, forthright and compassionate, she upheld high professional standards while treating colleagues and subordinates with warmth and respect. Her legacy lives on in the institution she helped develop and the values she exemplified.
The reference also revived memories of friendships spanning decades. One close friend traced their association to 1973, when they met at F-7/2 College. Over the years, professional companionship blossomed into a lasting bond of affection, trust and mutual support. Dr. Faree’s generosity extended well beyond her immediate circle. She supported the I Feel organisation, which works for the education of underprivileged children, and remained deeply responsive to the difficulties of others. She possessed the rare gift of empathy: she did not merely acknowledge another’s pain but sought to understand and alleviate it.
Another cherished chapter unfolded at Cambridge University, where she and a close friend pursued higher education while leaving their children in Pakistan. The anxieties and sacrifices of motherhood, shared across distance, forged an enduring bond. Although different in temperament, they were united by a common outlook on life and a willingness to support each other through its challenges.
Behind the accomplished educationist was a devoted homemaker and loving mother. Dr. Faree excelled in domestic pursuits, from cooking to knitting, and cherished her children, Bilal and Jasmine. She spoke with immense pride of her grandchildren’s academic achievements at Cambridge, Oxford and Harvard, while the arrival of her great-grandchildren brought her renewed joy. Her devotion was equally evident in the years she spent caring for her mother-in-law, remaining humble enough to feel that she could always have done more. For her, caring was not merely a duty to be fulfilled but an expression of love.
Her love of nature complemented her professional identity as a botanist. She delighted in nurturing plants and, in her younger years, would even wash their leaves with milk and water to enhance their lustre. This affectionate recollection captures her tenderness, meticulousness and desire to see life flourish. Her intellectual interests extended equally into literature. She relished Shakespearean comedy, laughed heartily at its absurdities and connected literary wit with contemporary life. Her humour was gentle and humane, never cruel or wounding.
A deeply patriotic admirer of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Dr. Faree recited his poetry with passion, a love she attributed to her father. Her religious devotion was equally profound. The recitation of naat often brought tears to her eyes, while the concluding verses of Surah Al-Baqarah offered her spiritual solace. Her frequent prayer that Allah should not burden her beyond what she could bear reflected the faith that sustained her through life’s trials. Friends also recalled her thoughtful preparation for death, including the preparation of her own burial shroud—a poignant expression of her awareness of mortality and readiness to meet her Creator.
As the gathering drew to a close, a speaker recalled the poetic lines, “Tell me not, in mournful numbers, / Life is but an empty dream.” These words offered a fitting reflection on a life whose significance transcends its earthly end. Dr. Faree Naheed Aslam lives on in the institution she enriched, the students and colleagues she inspired, the charitable causes she supported, and the family and friends she cherished.
The reference was more than a farewell to a distinguished educationist; it was a celebration of a woman who united professional excellence with aesthetic grace, intellectual curiosity with spiritual devotion, and personal achievement with selfless service. Although her absence leaves an irreplaceable void, the memory of her kindness, dignity and generosity remains a source of comfort and inspiration.
Dr. Faree has departed, but her goodness endures. Her life reminds us that true greatness lies not merely in what we accomplish, but in the hearts we touch, the burdens we lighten and the love we leave behind. Like the plants she so lovingly nurtured, her legacy will continue to flourish in the hearts of those who knew her—a lasting testament to a life of grace, faith and humanity.