Zubeida Mustafa’s corneal donation restores vision to two

The gift of sight has been returned to two visually impaired individuals after successful transplant surgeries using corneas donated by the late veteran journalist and social advocate Zubeida Mustafa.

Fulfilling a promise she made in 1975, Zubeida’s corneas were donated after her passing, in line with her lifelong commitment to promoting eye donations and fighting blindness in Pakistan.

Her selfless act became a beacon of hope for two patients, as both her corneas were successfully transplanted: one at the Pakistan Eye Bank Society (PEBS) Hospital and the other at the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation (SIUT).

At the PEBS Hospital, Dr Faisal Murtaza performed the transplant on Mohammad Sadiq, a schoolteacher who had been blind for years. The doctor confirmed the success of the surgery, and expressed optimism that the teacher would soon regain his vision.

PEBS President Qazi Sajid Ali praised Zubeida’s gesture as an extraordinary act of humanity. “Posthumous corneal donation is a profound form of humanitarian service. It enables blind individuals to see their loved ones and return to a normal life.”

Ali said the PEBS has worked to eliminate blindness through local corneal donations since 1968. Zubeida’s noble action will serve as a lasting inspiration and help break the myths surrounding eye donation after death, he added. The legacy of Zubeida Mustafa continues not just in journalism but also in the light she has brought to others, even after she left this world.