KARACHI President Asif Ali Zardari announced here on Thursday the government would nominate prominent surgeon Dr Adibul Hassan Rizvi for Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his services in the field of organ transplant.
He was speaking at the 'gift of life' certificate signing ceremony at the Bilawal House, organised by the health ministry in collaboration with the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) and the Human Organ Transplantation Association.
The president donated all his organs for deserving patients.
Besides Dr Rizvi, prominent social worker Abdus Sattar Edhi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, federal and provincial ministers and World Health Organisation (WHO) officials attended the ceremony.
President Zardari said the world had in the past converted noble Pakistanis into war machines and warriors.
“Although this chapter is closed now, Pakistan is still trying to adapt to the changed situation.”
He said that of late Pakistan had gone through turmoil and turbulence, including the history's largest internal displacement and resettlement of 2.5 million people in Swat.
He said the government was fighting the war against terrorism as a frontline state in an effort to give the coming generations a better and safe Pakistan.
“Those who are pointing fingers at us, my message for them is that we did not create this new format of war. This is not Pakistan-specific and this is not made in our laboratories.
Yes we are guilty of saving the world and you are guilty of forgetting us, your allies,” he said.
He said the world now acknowledged Pakistan as a responsible partner and a defender of democracy. “We have told them that Pakistan wants to become a part of the world where our children can live safely.”
President Zardari said the world should look at the good in Pakistan and its people.
“Pakistan is proud of people like Dr Adib Rizvi, Abdus Sattar Edhi and Benazir Bhutto. Dr Adib Rizvi and Abdus Sattar Edhi could have made fortunes by pursuing some other profession in other countries.”
Similarly, he said, Ms Bhutto did not have to come back from abroad, but she did it for Pakistan. “My son Bilawal has taken the responsibility of chairing the party at a young age, all because they want to deliver a better Pakistan to coming generations.
“We are fighting against evils for a better tomorrow. I believe in my country and in my people and we can give a better Pakistan. We lead from the front, it is in our genes. Look at the soldier-to-officer ratio. This is very high. Similar is the case with our politicians. They lead from the front.
“Because I want to convince my people to become a nation of donors, I led the way to become the first person to donate all my organs for deserving patients. Now I can expect them to follow the path,” he said.
In his opening remarks, Dr Rizvi spoke about his 20-year struggle which opened up avenues for ethical multi-organ transplantation in the country.
He praised the efforts made by President Zardari for the unanimous adoption of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act by both houses of parliament.
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