Dr Bilquees Zafar

1929 - 2014

Dr Bilquees Zafar

Clive

Dr. Bilquees Jamal Zafar, 85, departed from this world on the morning of Saturday, July 26, 2014 surrounded by all her children and grandchildren. She will forever be missed not only as a loving mother and grandmother, but also as a respected physician and professor who positively impacted the lives of thousands.

She was born on February 1, 1929 in Gujranwala, Pakistan, to Mir Muzaffar Ahmed and Kulsum Begum.

An ambitious woman, Dr. Zafar was a pioneer throughout her life. She received her MD degree in 1954 from Lahore, Pakistan. At a time when few women ventured outside the country to pursue an education, she traveled half way across the world to United Kingdom to earn her Ph.D in Pharmacology. Dr. Zafar was an innovative leader in multiple spheres of professional and personal endeavors. She returned to Pakistan in 1962 to join her family and was appointed Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at King Edward Medical College. Subsequently, she embarked on a fulfilling and illustrious career with the World Health Organization and various medical institutions all over world, including Liberia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Her professional career culminated in being named Chair of the Pharmacology Department at the prestigious King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan in 1972. Among her many professional achievements, she published a textbook in the subject of Pharmacology.

Dr. Zafar was widely recognized for her astute intellect, quick-witted disposition, unlimited kindness and colorfully candid demeanor. She touched the lives of countless students, family members and friends during her sojourn on earth. She loved to teach and inspire and will forever live in the hearts of many. Dr. Zafar was a tremendous role model for numerous female medical students aspiring to follow the path she had paved for them.

Despite Dr. Zafar's many contributions to her community and the medical arena, it was her family that she always placed above all else. What made her unique was her ability to make everyone feel special. Whether a grandchild, a niece, or a distant relative, every family member felt a strong connection with her, unlike any other.

Dr. Zafar was a legendary educator, an incomparable public and private icon, and genuinely cared for the well-being of others. Indeed, it is impressive to see the magnitude of her stellar accomplishments which would ordinarily require several lifetimes.

While Dr. Zafar will be missed dearly, she will forever be remembered fondly for her great zest for life, her tremendous impact on lives of untold beneficiaries

Dr. Zafar is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Hayat Zafar, and survived by her three children, Dr. Fawad Zafar, Dr. Aisha Zafar, and Dr. Saima Zafar, all of whom have followed in her footsteps and become physicians; her sons- and daughter-in-law, Dr. Shahid Bashir, Abid Butt and Mashal Husain; and her five grandsons, Maeshal, Faraaz, Roshan, Kaamil, and Fez.