Fatima Sughra Begum

(1932–2017)

Fatima Sughra Begum, also known as Begum Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Begum Hidayatullah and Lady Hidayatullah. Sughra was a Pakistan Movement activist and figure in Pakistani politics. She was the wife of Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah. She became known when she pulled off the Union Jack from the civil secretariat Lahore, and replaced it with the flag of All-India Muslim League at the age of 14. This act made her a hero in the eyes of the muslims of subcontinent. In an interview with The Guardian in 2007, Fatima Sughra describes herself a ‘rebellious’. “When I took down the British flag and replaced it with our Muslim League one, I don’t think I really knew what I was doing. It wasn’t planned. I was rebellious at that age, 14, and it seemed like a good idea. I was not prepared for it to become such a big symbol of independence. They even gave me a Gold Medal for Services to Pakistan. I was the first ever to receive one.”