Liaquat Ali (Urdu: لیاقت سولجر ‎; 1952 – 30 March 2011), better known by his stage name Liaquat Soldier, was a Pakistani stage and television comedy actor, writer, and director.

Early life[edit]

He was born in 1952 in a modest, low-income family of Marwari background in Karachi, while Soldier’s unusual last name was given to him by his friend Nazar Hussain, a stage artist.^[1]

Career[edit]

He started his acting career in 1973 and featured in over 250 plays and co-starred with many famous theatre personalities, including the likes of Moin Akhtar, Furqan Haider, Umer Sharif, Hanif Raja and Shahzad Raza.^[1]

Channels for which Soldier worked included Geo TV, SAMAA TV, Dhoom TV, Metro, Hum TV and ARY Digital. Overseas, he worked in the United States, Dubai and South Africa.^[1]

Death[edit]

On 30 March 2011, Soldier died of a heart attack; before his immediate death, he was reportedly participating in a live TV show during a special transmission of the semi-final between India and Pakistan of the 2011 Cricket World Cup and had died by the time he was transported to the hospital.^[2][3] His death was called "a big loss to the world of comedy dramas", while, a friend described him as not only a good actor but a “humble, good person."^[1] The news of his death was also announced on Cricinfo, in the commentary scorecard at the start of Pakistan's innings in the match.^[4]

Soldier is survived by his wife, daughter and three sons. His body is buried in the old Mewa Shah Graveyard located in SITE Town.^[1]

References[edit]