Zubaida and I would always squabble over cooking, reminisces Anwar Maqsood

Zubaida Tariq was ‘Zubaida Apa’ to many.

The many thousands that form her fanbase considered her their own, seeking her out not just for recipes and home remedies but even domestic marital advice. Her popularity was singularly rare, she was not merely a famous face but the recipient of limitless adulation, a household name, an iconic source of strength for her many fans. Her sudden demise has undeniably left behind a chasm.

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“She wasn’t just sister to her 10 siblings,” her brother, acclaimed writer Anwar Maqsood recounted to Images. “She was Zubaida Apa to limitless households across the world. Her assistance was sought in every kitchen where a mother cooked and her daughters helped and where women endeavored to beautify their homes.”

According to Maqsood, Zubaida Tariq had suffered a heart attack recently, following which she underwent surgery. Her health began to deteriorate after this although she kept working. On the day of her death she had returned home after recording a cooking show.

“Since her death, we have been receiving phone calls from around the world of women heartbroken by her death, saying that they have been unable to go into the kitchen because she had always been an indelible part of it,” he continues.

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According to Maqsood, Zubaida Tariq had suffered a heart attack recently, following which she underwent surgery. Her health began to deteriorate after this although she kept working. On the day of her death she had returned home after recording a cooking show.

“She and I always used to squabble over cooking,” laughed Maqsood. “I would argue that she took too long in the kitchen while I would be able to cook within an hour. She’d retaliate that her way of cooking was different and what she made couldn’t get completed so quickly. She liked to take her time in the kitchen. She enjoyed it and it shows in the huge global following that she has gained.”