Pakistani film star Meera's younger sister, Shaista Abbas, a qualified lawyer based in London, has died after a prolonged battle with cancer, leaving the actress devastated after she failed to secure a British visa to visit her despite repeated appeals to UK authorities on humanitarian grounds.
She expressed deep regret that the British High Commission had not granted her a visa despite repeated requests, including appeals on humanitarian grounds as her sister's condition worsened. Shaista's sister Aksa Abbas, who lives in Europe, also told that she had been repeatedly admitted and discharged over almost a year as her health deteriorated.
During her illness, Shaista was supported by Aksa, their mother, Shafqat Zahra Bukhari, and their brother, who had travelled from Pakistan to be with her. Meera, however, could not join them in London despite repeated attempts to get permission to visit her seriously ill sister.
Shaista, a single mother, leaves behind an infant daughter. Meera plans to adopt the child following her sister's death.
In an interview, Shaista recalled that she was only six years old when their father died, leaving Meera, the eldest sibling, to shoulder responsibility for the family. Meera supported their mother, financed her siblings' education, and helped them settle in Britain.
Shaista said Meera had paid for the family's home in London and supported her ambition to become a lawyer. She revealed that she had initially studied business before pursuing law in Britain and establishing her professional career.
Describing Meera as the family's main source of financial and emotional support, Shaista said they regarded her almost as a parent because of the sacrifices she had made for them. The sisters, however, had differences over Shaista's career.
While Meera wanted her to return to Pakistan and pursue acting, Shaista preferred to remain in London and concentrate on law. She nevertheless appeared in the Pakistani television drama Seep.
Her family maintained that past visa disputes stemmed from misunderstandings during questioning in English. Although a previous travel ban had expired, a subsequent visa application was refused after a travel agent submitted incorrect information, with British authorities citing false representations.
In July 2025, Meera publicly appealed to British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott to consider her visa application on its merits, explaining that her sister was undergoing cancer treatment in London. As Shaista's condition became increasingly serious, Meera renewed her appeal, asking British authorities to consider her case on humanitarian grounds.
Speaking from New York, she said her sister was suffering from advanced-stage cancer and that she desperately wanted to be with her family in London. Meera also shared emotional messages about Shaista on social media, praising her determination to qualify as a lawyer and recalling their close relationship.
In one message, she expressed her anguish at being separated from her seriously ill sister and her longing to hear her call her "Baji" again. Despite her repeated appeals, Meera was unable to reach Britain before her sister's death.
Shaista Abbas will be buried in London.