Karachi (Staff Report): Last rites of Pakistan’s ‘Mother Teresa’, Dr Ruth Katharina Martha Pfau, who passed away at the age of 87 after dedicating a lifetime to fighting leprosy in the country, will be performed today at St Patrick’s Church in Karachi with full state honours.
Patients and workers of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC), founded by Dr Ruth to serve the leprosy patients in Pakistan, gathered around her body on Saturday to take one last look at the humanitarian hero whose life-long struggle helped Pakistan defeat leprosy.
The route from Soldier Bazaar to Saddar has been closed for traffic ahead of Dr Ruth's funeral, according to traffic police.
Shahra-e-Iraq will be closed near Passport Office at around 9am, the police said.
Alternate routes have been arranged for residents of the city. Those travelling from Shahra-e-Quaideen to Saddar have been asked to use Corridor- III instead.
Another suggested route includes the roads from Soldier Bazaar to Iqbal Market and Tanker Chowrangi to Nishtar Road or Gul Plaza.
Dr Ruth Katharina Martha Pfau:
Dr Pfau was born in Leipzig Germany on September 9, 1929. She came to Pakistan in the 1960s and dedicated her life to taking care of leprosy patients.
Dr Pfau, the founder of the National Leprosy Control Programme in Pakistan, was in charge of the Mary Adelaide Society of Pakistan (MASP), where leprosy patients are treated.
It was due to the endless struggle of Dr Pfau that Pakistan defeated the disease and became leprosy-free in 1996. She was granted Pakistani citizenship in 1988 and received numerous accolades for her services.
