Foreign Office says the entire Pakistani nation pays homage to eminent social activist Dr Ruth Pfau for her extraordinary work in eradicating leprosy disease from the country, reported Radio Pakistan.
In a statement, foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said being the Patron of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre, she committed her entire life to fight leprosy in Pakistan.
Dr Ruth Pfau, who passed away on 10th of August, was laid to rest with complete state honour in Karachi on Satuday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi had announced a state funeral for Rutth.
The last rites of Ruth were performed at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Karachi in presence of the President of Pakistan. Her casket, wrapped in the national flag of Pakistan, was given a 19-gun salute, with contingents of all three armed forces present on the occasion.
Ruth was awarded numerous national and international awards, including the highest civil awards of 'Hilal-e-Imtiaz' and 'Hilal-e-Pakistan,' in recognition of her meritorious services to the nation.
In 1996, the World Health Organisation declared that leprosy had been controlled in Pakistan, which led Pfau to the more challenging task of eliminating the disease.
Last year, the number of patients under treatment for leprosy fell to 531 from over 19,000 in the 1980s.
