Meera's younger sister dies in London as actress fails to secure UK visa

Shaista had been hospitalised for the past two months, while her health had remained fragile over the preceding year, during which she was repeatedly admitted to and discharged from hospital,, Aksa Abbas. Meera’s inability to visit her sister was linked to a prolonged immigration dispute with British authorities.

In February 2025, she had been handed a 10-year entry ban following an immigration incident at Heathrow Airport. Her family maintained that the matter arose from misunderstandings during questioning in English. Although the ban had expired, a subsequent visa application was reportedly 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 humanitarian grounds, explaining that her sister was undergoing cancer treatment in London.

As Shaista’s condition deteriorated in September 2026, the actress renewed her appeal, saying her sister was suffering from advanced-stage cancer and expressing her desperation to reunite with her family in London. Despite repeated appeals, Meera could not reach Britain before Shaista’s death.

Shaista Abbas will be laid to rest in London.