'Person of the two Decades' Bilquis Edhi passes away at 74.

LAHORE -- Pakistan's towering philanthropist, humanitarian and 'Person of the two Decades' Bilquis Edhi passed away after a brief illness in Karachi on Friday. She was 74, according to a spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation Lahore.

Her death was confirmed by her son Faisal Edhi. The spokesperson said Bilquis was suffering from "multiple ailments". "She had heart problems in addition to lung issues," he said.

Earlier this week, Bilquis Edhi was rushed to a private hospital in Karachi after her blood pressure suddenly dropped. She had already undergone bypass procedure twice.

Bilquis Bano Edhi, the wife of the late Abdul Sattar Edhi, was a professional nurse and the head of the Bilquis Edhi Foundation. She spent more than six decades of her life in serving the humanity in need. Her charity saved over 42,000 unwanted babies by placing 'jhoolas' [cradles] at the Edhi Homes and centres across the country.

In January 2021, Bilquis Edhi was shortlisted by an international organisation 'Impact Hallmarks', for being one of the most impactful persons of the world. She was among the top 20 persons and works, selected from 1.6 million entries from 190 countries of the world for the prestigious 'Person of the Decade' title.

Called the Mother of Pakistan, Bilquis Edhi already had been given various national and foreign awards including Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the Lenin Peace Prize, Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice (2015), and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, she received along with her husband Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1986.

Bilquis Edhi was born on the same day as Pakistan, 14 August 1947 in Bantva, a city in Gujarat state of India. Communal riots drove the family to Bombay from where they migrated a few months later to Pakistan - to Mithadar area of Karachi.

When she...

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