Shakir was born on 24 November 1952 in Gaya Bihar in India.

Shakir started writing at an early age and published her first volume of poetry, Khushbu (Fragrance), in 1976.

She subsequently published other volumes of poetry including Sad-barg (Marsh Marigold) in 1980, Khud Kalami (Soliloquy) and Inkar (Denial) in 1990, Kaf e Aina (The Mirror's Edge) besides a collection of her newspaper columns, titled Gosha-e-Chashm (The Sight Corner), and was awarded one of Pakistan's highest honours, the Pride of Performance for her outstanding contribution to literature.

She was known as poet of Dreams, colors and Fragrances.

Her work was often based on romanticism, exploring the concepts of love, beauty and their contradictions, and heavily integrated the use of metaphors, similes and personifications.

Shakir started writing at a young age, penning both prose and poetry, and contributing columns in Urdu newspapers, and a few articles in English dailies. Shakir was highly educated with two masters degrees, one in English Literature and one in Linguistics. She also held a Ph.D and another masters degree in Bank Administration.

On Dec 26th, 1994, Shakir's car collided with a bus while she was on her way to work in Islamabad. The accident resulted in her death, a great loss to the Urdu poetry world. The road on which the accident took place is named after her