DUBAI // The funeral of the Dubai-based British-Pakistani banker who died while on a trek in Oman will be held in Karachi on Friday afternoon.
Bushra Farooqui, 42, died on Sunday while on a trek in Wadi Sameeni. Eleven people were rescued on Saturday after Omani police sent helicopters to find the missing hikers, Ms Farooqui’s body was found the next day.
Her family acknowledged the flood of support from colleagues and friends to continue the education projects she launched in Pakistan’s northern mountain valleys.
“Nobody can match Bushra’s passion, but people from London, UAE and Pakistan want her work to continue and I believe it will,” said her brother Sohaib who along with his sister Aisha took Bushra’s body from Muscat to Karachi.
“We have received calls, messages from people saying they want to help. There is also a vigil planned at the site where it happened in Oman by people who knew her in Dubai.”
In the Baltistan’s remote mountain region, many of those Ms Farooqui helped were inconsolable at her death.
The charity she founded - Inspire - for the Love of the Mountains - supports education for 360 girls in isolated regions, funds teachers and supplies in schools with meagre resources.
“The children have been crying a lot since they heard of her death,” said Nahida, a teacher in Sadpara village. Ms Farooqui organised books, uniforms and furniture for 140 students taught in two rooms.
“She had so much energy. When she came here the light became brighter, everyone was happy. The children loved her like their mother. She wanted the children to do something with their lives. She planned to train teachers, admit more students, build two more rooms. Who bothers about remote areas? But she truly cared for us.”
More than 400 parents, children and villagers gathered at a four-hour memorial service in Sadpara on Wednesday.
“The community wanted to show their love,” said Ghulam Mohammad, a wildlife conservationist and general secretary of the Inspire Initiative.
“She was our protector. After school ended, the tributes started at noon and continued until 4pm. Everyone wanted to speak. The students are worried about school continuing but her mission will not die.”
Others spoke of her plans to teach the children mountaineering skills.
“She left her world to come to ours,” said Hassan Sadpara, a mountaineer well-known in Pakistan for climbing Mt Everest and five peaks over 8,000 meters.
“She had a kind heart and no praise is enough for her. Days ago she called me to check about our plans to train the children in climbing. She asked a lot of questions. It’s our responsibility to keep her work alive and work for these children.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
