From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Bilquis Bano Edhi, the wife of renowned humanitarian and philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, passed away at the age of 74 on Friday after a brief hospitalisation.
Earlier in the day, her family had said that her condition had stabilised. She was admitted to a hospital in Karachi for three days and was rushed there after her blood pressure had suddenly dropped. According to an Edhi Foundation spokesperson, Bilquis was ill for the last one month.
“Though she is not in a serious condition, she will remain in the hospital for a couple of more days,” the spokesperson of the Edhi Foundation Muhammad Bilal had said. Bilal had added that Bilquis had congestive heart failure and she has already undergone a heart bypass twice.
First Lady Tehmina Durrani had also visited her during Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s maiden visit to the port city on Wednesday.
Earlier, Pakistan’s towering philanthropist and humanitarian was declared the “Person of the Decade’’, along with human rights rapporteur of the UN Prof Yanghee Lee and the US ethicist Stephen Soldz.
A spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation had told media that as per the domino effect verdict, announced on Friday by the Impact Hallmarks, Bilquis Edhi was declared the most impactful person of the first two decades of the 21st century.
Bilquis was a professional nurse and headed the Bilquis Edhi Foundation. Abdul Sattar Edhi had proposed to her and they got married in April 1966. She spent more than six decades of her life serving humanity in need.
Her charity has saved over 42,000 unwanted babies so far by placing “jhoolas” [cradles] at the Edhi Homes and centres across the country. She leaves behind four children, Faisal, Kubra, Zeenat and Almas from her marriage with Abdul Sattar Edhi.
President Arif Alvi expressed his sadness on the passing of Bilquis Edhi. “She had always been shoulder to shoulder with Abdul Sattar Edhi in his philanthropic efforts and continued his work even after his death. May Allah bless the departed soul,” tweeted the President House.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Bilquis Edhi continued the humanitarian work of her husband.
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise and lauded her for the philanthropic works she did for the country.
Former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi wrote: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Ms Bilqis Edhi.”
Renowned author Fatima Bhutto also expressed sorrow and mentioned that Bilquis served Pakistan’s poor and abandoned with great spirit her entire life. MQM-P Senator Faisal Subzwari said Pakistanis would remember her for eternity as he prayed for her forgiveness.
“Bilqis Edhi was a compassionate and a humane face of Pakistani society,” wrote former information minister Fawad Chaudhry. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also expressed sorrow over the demise of the social activist.
