Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari
on Wednesday announced that he would be "donating his whole body"
after his life, thus becoming the first President of Pakistan
to make such a decision.
Zardari made the announcement as he inked a landmark
bill to regulate transplant of human organs in the country in
a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the News daily reported.
President Zardari said he took the decision in light
of his late wife Benazir Bhutto's philosophy of living for
others, the paper said.
The President said Pakistan was singled out in the
world community due to the notorious trade of organ transplant
of body organs and urged the Parliament and the doctors to
create awareness about the issue among the masses.
"No law can be effective without people's support," he
said and sought the help of the masses in countering the
illegal trade.
"Pakistanis were a responsible nation and known for
being thoughtful, forgiving and loving," he said, adding only
a small mindset was bringing bad name to the country.
The law that now makes sale and unauthorised
transplant of body organs punishable with up to 10 years in
prison provides for a regulatory mechanism, including a
high-level federal monitoring authority and evaluation
committees, for the removal, storage and transplantation of
human organs and tissues for therapeutic purposes, the paper
said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 22:14