Shehr-e-Zaat (Urdu: شہرذات, English: City of Self) is a 2012 Pakistani spiritual romantic[1] drama serial based on the novella of the same name by Umera Ahmad.

[2][3] Shehr-e-Zaat is the story of a young woman's journey as she strives to make up for all the time she has lost in worldly pursuits and finally give in to Allah's will, after learning the harsh realities of life, she traveled from Self to Subsistence.

It premiered on 29 June 2012 in Pakistan, with the prime slot of 8:00 pm every Friday on Hum TV; the serial aired its final episode on 2 November 2012, and garnered much praise.

[5] Shehr-e-Zaat received widespread critical acclaim and is widely regarded to be one of the greatest Pakistani television series of all time.

[10] Due to widespread acclaim and owing to its popularity, a special transmission was held in Karachi and broadcast on Hum TV at the conclusion of the drama.

Falak is a student of fine arts who makes the sculpture of the man of her dreams and falls head over heels in love when she finds the breathing manifestation of it in Salman Ansar.

Falak's happiness is short-lived as Salman falls in love with an uneducated and crass employee Tabinda, at his factory, with whom he begins an extramarital relationship.

Falak is shocked seeing Tabinda's unattractive physical appearance and eventually suffers from a major nervous breakdown.

The fact that Salman prefers Tabinda, an ugly-looking woman with a loose character, over her forces her to go through a journey of self-discovery.

Guest appearances The theme song of Shehr-e-Zaat is taken from the 2000s enormous hit album Raqs-e-Bismil also known as Dance of Wounded of Sufi singer Abida Parveen, written or poetry by 18th centuries most famous Sufi poet, Shah Niaz and originally composed by Muzaffar Ali for Parveen's album.

[13][14] Shehr-e-Zaat received a rating of 7.9 trp,[15][16] owing to its popularity, a special transmission was held in Karachi and broadcast on Hum TV at the conclusion of the drama.

Shehr-e-Zaat is still the most talked about drama, not because people are still impressed by it but because of the rift it caused between the writer Umera Ahmed, the channel on which it was being aired and the director Sarmad Khoosat.