# Nigar Award for Best Actress

The Nigar Award for Best Actress, also known as Nigar Public Film Award for Best Actress is an award constituted for the cinema of Pakistan to recognise contribution of a lead actress in Lollywood. Established in 1958 by Ilyas Rashidi, it is presented annually by Nigar magazine as part of its annual ceremony of Nigar Awards. The award ceremony takes place independently and is not associated with government or for-profit entities such as production house or television channel.
First presented in 1957, the first Best Actress award was given to Sabiha Khanum for Saat Lakh (1957). The last award was given to Saba Qamar in 2017 for Lahore Se Aagey.

## Winners and nominees

Table key :
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |

### 1950s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
| 1957 (1st) | | Sabiha Khanam ‡ | N/A | Saat Lakh |
| 1958 (2nd) | — | Musarrat Nazir ‡ | Sanwali | Zeher-e-Ishq |
| 1959 (3rd) | — | Musarrat Nazir ‡ | Shadaan | Jhoomer |

### 1960s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
| 1960 (4th) | | Nayyar Sultana ‡ | Razia | Saheli |
| 1961 (5th) | — | Musarrat Nazir ‡ | Laila | Shaheed |
| 1962 (6th) | | Nayyar Sultana ‡ | Tayyaba | Aulad |
| 1963 (7th) | | Sabiha Khanum ‡ | Ismat | Shikwa |
| 1964 (8th) | | Shamim Ara ‡ | Gul | Farangi |
| 1965 (9th) | | Shamim Ara ‡ | Naila | Naila |
| 1966 (10th) | | Zeba ‡ | Najma | Armaan |
| 1967 (11th) | | Shamim Ara ‡ | Shakuntla | Lakhon Mein Aik |
| 1968 (12th) | | Shamim Ara ‡ | Saiqa | Saiqa |
| 1969 (13th) | | Neelo ‡ | Zarqa | Zarqa |

### 1970s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| Awards are also presented to Punjabi language films since 1970 ||||||
| 1970 (14th) | — | Zeba ‡ | N/A | Insaan aur Aadmi (1970) |
| 1970 (14th) | — | Firdous Begum ‡ | Heer | Heer Ranjha |
| 1971 (15th) | | Shabnum ‡ | Rani | Dosti |
| 1971 (15th) | | Rani ‡ | N/A | Babul |
| 1972 (16th) | — | Zeba ‡ | N/A | Mohabbat |
| 1972 (16th) | — | Aliya Begum ‡ | N/A | Zulm Da Badla |
| 1973 (17th) | | Shabnum ‡ | Bano | Anmol |
| 1973 (17th) | — | Firdous Begum ‡ | N/A | Ziddi |
| 1974 (18th) | | Shabnum ‡ | Najma | Dillagi |
| 1974 (18th) | — | Neelo ‡ | N/A | Khatarnaak |
| 1975 (19th) | | Shabnum ‡ | Nargis/ Zeenat | Zeenat |
| 1975 (19th) | — | Mumtaz ‡ | N/A | Jadoo |
| 1976 (20th) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | Shabana/ Farzana | Shabana |
| 1976 (20th) | — | Neelo ‡ | N/A | Jat Kurian Taun Darda |
| 1977 (21st) | | Shabnum ‡ | Rita | Aina |
| 1977 (21st) | | Aasia ‡ | N/A | Qanoon |
| 1978 (22nd) | — | Sangeeta ‡ | Rano | Mutthi Bhar Chawal |
| 1978 (22nd) | — | Najma ‡ | N/A | Shola |
| 1979 (23rd) | | Shabnum ‡ | N/A | Pakeeza (1979) |
| 1979 (23rd) | — | Mumtaz ‡ | N/A | Nizam Daku (1979) |

### 1980s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 1980 (24th) | | Shabnam ‡ | N/A | Hum Dono (1980) |
| 1980 (24th) | — | Mumtaz ‡ | N/A | Sohra Te Jawai (1980) |
| 1981 (25th) | | Shabnam ‡ | N/A | Qurbani (1981) |
| 1981 (25th) | — | Anjuman ‡ | N/A | Sher Khan (1981) |
| 1982 (26th) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Sangdil (1982) |
| 1982 (26th) | — | Anjuman ‡ | N/A | Do Bigha Zameen (1982) |
| 1983 (27th) | — | Shabnam ‡ | N/A | Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (1983) |
| 1983 (27th) | | Rani ‡ | N/A | Sona Chandi (1983) |
| 1984 (28th) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Miss Colombo (1984) |
| 1984 (28th) | — | Durdana Rehman ‡ | N/A | Ishq Nachaway Gali Gali (1984) |
| 1985 (29th) | | Shabnam ‡ | N/A | Naraaz (1985) |
| 1985 (29th) | — | Mumtaz ‡ | N/A | Dhee Rani (1985) |
| 1986 (30th) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Miss Bangkok (1986) |
| 1986 (30th) | — | Anjuman ‡ | N/A | Qismet (1986) |
| 1987 (31st) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Kundan (1987) |
| 1987 (31st) | — | Anjuman ‡ | N/A | Dulari (1987) |
| 1988 (32nd) | — | Salma Agha ‡ | Gori | Bazar-e-Husn |
| 1988 (32nd) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Mukhra |
| 1989 (33rd) | — | Kaveeta ‡ | N/A | Barood Ki Chahoon (1989) |
| 1989 (33rd) | — | Neeli ‡ | N/A | Madam Bawari (1989) |

### 1990s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
| 1990 (34th) | — | Anjuman ‡ | Miss Rita | Insaniyat Kay Dushman |
| 1990 (34th) | — | Babra Sharif ‡ | N/A | Gorian Dian Jhangra (1990) |
| 1991 (35th) | — | Nadira ‡ | Miss Sherin | Watan Kay Rakhwalay |
| 1991 (35th) | — | Neeli ‡ | N/A | Bakhtawar |
| 1992 (36th) | — | Rubi Niazi ‡ | N/A | Mr. 420 (1992) |
| 1992 (36th) | — | Anjuman ‡ | N/A | Majhoo (1992) |
| 1993 (37th) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | N/A | Haathi Mere Saathi |
| 1993 (37th) | — | Neeli ‡ | N/A | Zamana |
| 1994 (38th) | — | Neeli ‡ | Sitara | Aakhri Mujra (1994) |
| 1994 (38th) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | N/A | Rani Beti Raaj Kare Gi (1994) |
| 1995 (39th) | | Zeba Bakhtiar ‡ | N/A | Sargam |
| 1995 (39th) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | N/A | Jungle Ka Qanoon (1995) |
| 1996 (40th) | | Meera ‡ | N/A | Khilona (1996) |
| 1996 (40th) | — | Saima Noor ‡ | N/A | Sakahi Badshah (1996) |
| 1997 (41st) | — | Neeli ‡ | N/A | Mujhe Jeene Nahi Dete (1997) |
| 1997 (41st) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | N/A | Kala Raj (1997) |
| 1998 (42nd) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | Bisma | Nikah |
| 1998 (42nd) | — | Saima Noor ‡ | Billo | Choorian |
| 1999 (43rd) | — | Resham‡ | Salma | Jannat Ki Talash |
| 1999 (43rd) | — | Reema Khan ‡ | N/A | Nikki Jaee Haan (1999) |

### 2000s

| Year | Photos of winners | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
| 2000 (45th) | — | Zara Sheikh ‡ | Preeti | Tere Pyar Mein |
| 2000 (45th) | — | Saima Noor ‡ | N/A | Mehndi Waley Hath (2000) |
| 2001 (46th) | | Meera ‡ | N/A | Khoey Ho Tum Kahan |
| 2002 (46th) | | Sana Fakhar ‡ | Sitara | Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa |
| Not announced from 2003 to 2016 ||||||
| 2017 (47th) | | Saba Qamar ‡ | Taara Ahmed | Lahore Se Aagey |