‘Alpha Bravo Charlie’ Actor Qasim Shah Reveals Regret Over Parents That Still Haunts Him

LAHORE: Retired Colonel Qasim Shah, who won widespread acclaim for his performances in classic Pakistan Television dramas Sunehray Din and Alpha Bravo Charlie, has opened up about a deep regret involving his parents that continues to trouble him.

Qasim Shah, who became widely known for his iconic role as Captain Gul Sher in Alpha Bravo Charlie, recently appeared on a private television programme, where he was asked about a regret from his life that he still remembers.

Recalling an incident involving his mother, he said that one day he was sitting with her while remaining distracted by his mobile phone. His mother spoke to him for around 15 minutes, but he remained occupied with his phone and could not give her the attention she wanted.

According to Qasim Shah, his mother became sad and told him, “It seems you do not want to talk to me. I do not know how many days of my life are left.” She then got up and walked away.

He said he did not take her words seriously at the time and replied that she was always becoming emotional and that she was not going anywhere. However, his mother passed away just 20 days after that conversation.

Qasim Shah said he deeply regrets the incident to this day. “If I had known that my mother would leave this world so soon, I would have broken my phone and spent all my time with her,” he said.

He urged people to spend as much time as possible with their parents, siblings and other family members, saying that these relationships are the real wealth of life and nobody knows how long they will have to wait to meet their loved ones again.

The actor also recalled another painful memory involving his mother. He said that once, while he was leaving for Pano Aqil to attend an event, his mother asked how many days he would be away. He replied that he would be gone for only two days.

His mother was surprised, as if even two days seemed like a very long time. Qasim Shah said those two days ultimately proved extremely long for him because when he returned home, his mother was no longer alive.

Talking about his father, Qasim Shah recalled another incident that he still regrets. Shortly after his marriage, he was posted to Multan and was travelling there with his wife by car. During the journey, his father expressed a desire to accompany them.

He said that because his father was seriously ill, he was worried about how he would return using public transport. Due to this concern, he refused his father’s request and spoke to him harshly, telling him that there was no question of taking him along.

Qasim Shah said the remark deeply hurt his father. Although he immediately realized his mistake and apologized, he said he still feels that time can never be brought back.

He advised people to listen to their parents, spend time with them and treat them gently while they are still alive, because once parents are gone, only memories and regrets remain.