Asma Riaz

At the time of Partition, Asma Riaz was a student at Stratford College for Women, now known as Government College for Women in Amritsar. According to Mrs. Riaz, Partition did not take her by surprise. She and her friends of various backgrounds would sit together and discuss the situation and possible effects like imposed curfews.

When Partition was announced and news of the riots reached them, her family decided to leave. Her uncle had arranged for a large army truck to take them to the railway station. The family packed themselves into the truck and were instructed not to make a sound. Once the truck arrived at the station, they went upstairs to a temporary army station. They were asked to lie flat on their backs without any support. Gun fire was exchanged. They were frozen in their spots, not moving an inch. This continued for hours until the morning. When they heard the train arriving, they stood up and saw the dead lying on the ground.

They boarded the arriving train and set out for Lahore. Mrs. Riaz completed her college education at Kinnaird College for Women.

After college, she was married and had three daughters and two sons.When her husband passed away, she sold their house and started a construction business. Herr eldest son supported her business and the money was put towards her remaining children's education and up-bringing. She later moved to the United States to support two of her daughters through college.