By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s central bank has issued a Rs 50 commemorative coin of Rs 50 denomination in recognition of meritorious services rendered by Dr. Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau for the treatment of lepers in this part of the world.
The coin is available for public issuance from May 9 (Wednesday) through SBP Banking Service Corporation offices.
Dr Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau was a German-born Pakistani physician and nun of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She moved from Germany to Pakistan in 1960 and devoted more than 50 years of her life fighting leprosy in the South Asian country.
Known as “Pakistan’s Mother Teresa”, she contributed in establishing 157 leprosy clinics across Pakistan, that treated over 56,780 people
Dr. Pfau’s contribution to the society was gratefully acknowledged by the people and state during her life time. She was awarded Hilal-i- Imtiaz, Nishan-i-Quaid –i-Azam and Hilal-i-Pakistan.
“With her efforts Pakistan became the first country in the region to control the disease (of leprosy)”, said Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Tariq Mahmood Bajwa at the coin unveiling ceremony in port city of Karachi.
Issuing commemorative coin has been of a unique nature Pakistan which in the past have been issued only for great people like Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Fatima Jinnah, and Abdul Sattar Edhi.
“We thank the SBP and the government of Pakistan for recognizing Dr. Pfau’s services to the country,” Martin Kobler, German ambassador in Pakistan said at the unveiling ceremony.
The Rs 50 commemorative coin is Cupro-Nickel in its composition with Copper 75% and Nickel 25%. With a dimension of 30.0 millimeters has a weight of 13.5 grams.
