Bilquis Bano Edhi remembered for her services to humanity

At a condolence gathering on Friday night, speakers paid tributes to philanthropist Bilquis Bano Edhi for her social work, particularly her paramount triumph against infanticide.

Wife of humanitarian, philanthropist and the Edhi Foundation’s founder Abdul Sattar Edhi, Bilquis had passed away at the age of 74 on April 15 at a hospital in Karachi.

A large number of people, including political leaders and civil society activists, attended the event that was organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. Speakers eulogised the humanitarian services of the Edhi organisation, and said the philanthropist couple will forever remain a source of national pride.

Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said people like Edhi and Bilquis who devote their entire lives to social work are born once in every century. “Bilquis had always worked shoulder to shoulder with Abdul Sattar Edhi in his philanthropic efforts and continued his work even after his death.”

He pointed out that Edhi never used politics to do good deeds, and was always sincere with everyone. Other speakers hoped Edhi’s children and colleagues will continue the humanitarian work.

Bilquis was a professional nurse, and headed the Bilquis Edhi Foundation. She spent over six decades of her life serving humanity. She saved the lives of thousands of abandoned newborn children by placing cradles outside Edhi centres and not only in other parts of Karachi but all over Pakistan.

At these cradles unwanted babies can be left anonymously in a safe place, following which they can be taken care of by the Edhi Foundation, which will either raise them or find them new parents.

Called the Mother of Pakistan, she was awarded various national and foreign awards, including the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, the Lenin Peace Prize, the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice (2015), and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, which she had received with her husband in 1986.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MNA Kishwer Zehra, the Edhi Foundation’s Faisal Edhi, Mehtab Akbar Rashidi, Arts Council Karachi President Ahmed Shah, Iqbal Lateef, Naghma Sheikh and others also spoke on the occasion.