NewsAugust 20 , 2017
Dr Ruth Pfau laid to rest after state funeral
KARACHI: A state funeral was held here on Saturday for Dr Ruth Pfau, who breathed her last on August 10, 2017 at the age of 87 years.Dr Pfau, a German doctor and nun who devoted her life to battling leprosy in Pakistan, was laid to rest in Gora Qabaristan.
The funeral at the cemetery was attended by President Mamnoon Hussain, Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Shahid Baig Mirza and Vice-Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi on behalf of the naval chief. Each of them also laid floral wreaths on Dr Pfau’s grave as a mark of respect.
Other senior officials of armed forces, provincial cabinet members, diplomats associated with the German Embassy in Pakistan, political leaders and members of the Christian community attended her last rites. The leaders of the Christian community also paid rich tributes to Dr Pfau according to their religious rites.
A contingent of the Pakistan Army presented a guard of honour at the time of her burial.
Earlier, final rites of Dr Pfau were performed at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Saddar where the coffin was draped in the Pakistani flag and was brought by a military vehicle.
Those present at the St Patrick’s Cathedral
stood up to pay homage to Dr Pfau. One minute silence was also observed by those who attended the state funeral. The Pakistani and Vatican City flag remained at half mast in front of the church.A 19-gun salute was also presented to Dr Pfau’s casket at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
In his message, President Mamnoon Hussain said that while serving the ailing humanity, late Dr Pfau had set a glorious example.
Before Dr Pfau’s final rites were performed, the admirers and companions of Dr Pfau were given a chance to see her for the last time at the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre, near Saddar, which was founded by her.
It should be recalled here that Dr Pfau had started her efforts to eliminate leprosy in 1960 from a dispensary at the McLeod Road (now I I Chundrigar Road).
Later, she founded the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC) and a number of leprosy clinics across the country. The MALC was also used for treating tuberculosis and blindness.
In 1979, she was accorded the status of federal advisor for eliminating leprosy in Pakistan. In 1988, she was also granted Pakistani citizenship.
Dr Ruth Pfau received numerous accolades for her services, including the Order of Merit (Germany), Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam in 1969, Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 1979, Hilal-e-Pakistan in 1989, Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2002 and the German Staufer Medal in 2015.
Due to her services, Pakistan was declared a leprosy-free country by the World Health Organization in 1996.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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