Zubaida Khanum died of a heart attack on 19 October 2013 at the age of 78. Born in Amritsar in 1935, the singer moved to Lahore in 1947.
She launched her singing career with the film Billo in 1951 and gained wider recognition through the 1953 film Shehri Babu. Khanum appeared in the films Pattan, Heer and Patay Khan in 1955, followed by Chann Mahi and Dulla Bhatti in 1956.
In addition to her musical contributions, she acted in Patay Khan and Dulla Bhatti. The artist recorded approximately 250 songs before stepping away from playback singing during the 1960s.
She married film cameraman Riaz Bokhari and eventually left the industry to devote herself to her family. The Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC) marked her seventh death anniversary in 2020 and inaugurated a folk studio that same year.
While her career was relatively short, her recordings represent an important chapter in Pakistan's film music history.
