Pakistani philanthropist and renowned figure, Bilquis Edhi, has won the Person of the Decade Award. She has been selected by the web-based organization, Impact Hallmarks.
A spokesperson of the Edhi Foundation told that Bilquis Edhi had been selected as the most impactful person of the first two decades of the 21st century.
By profession, she is a nurse, who joined the noble cause after marrying the late Abdul Sattar Edhi. Bilquis Edhi has spent over six years serving people in the field of humanitarian.
Bilquis Edhi has been declared “The Person of the decade” and “The Most Impactful Person” of the first two decades of the 21st century along with UN rapporteur Prof Yanghee Lee and Us ethicist Stephen Soldz.. #BilquisEdhi #Edhifoundation #Pakistan #humanity
— Farah Iqrar (@farah_iqrar_) January 30, 2021
Earlier this month, Bilquis Edhi had been shortlisted by the organization. She was selected among the top 20 persons, objects, and works, having a far-reaching impact in diverse fields and the extent of human accomplishments.
A statement was issued earlier by Edhi Foundation and SAARC-ASEAN Post-Doctoral Academia Directorate, regarding the online poll that will be held globally and vote the person depending upon the value the person holds.
Read more: Bilquis Edhi: Pakistan’s Good Samaritan
While Edhi has been honored with another international award, she is also the recipient of several national accolades for her untiring services to support humanity in Pakistan and outside.
She received the 1986 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. Pakistan awarded her with Hilal-e-Imtiaz as well.
Bilquis Bano Edhi was born on the same day as Pakistan, 14 August 1947. Her life has been one of service and providing safe-havens for the poor and the destitute. She got married to Abdul Sattar Edhi at the age of 17.
She has spent more than six decades of her life serving humanity. Her charity has saved over 42,000 unwanted babies so far by placing jhoolas (cradles) at the Edhi Homes and centres across the countryhttps://t.co/uVqEupljEl
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 30, 2021
She is also the recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize. Her charity runs many services in Pakistan, including a hospital and emergency service in Karachi.
The Edhi foundation refuses to take donations from governments. They turned down help from General Zia-ul-Haq and they did the same when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered Rupees 1 crore to the Edhi foundation. After they took care of a deaf and mute Indian girl stranded in Pakistan for over ten years.
Read more: Google honors the ‘Angel of Mercy’: Abdul Sattar Edhi
The Edhi foundation is the largest emergency service in Pakistan, but despite this, Bilquis Edhi has lived all her life in a simple two-bedroom home that she owned along with her husband. The home is a part of an orphanage that the Edhi foundation runs.