LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the late Arfa Karim was the most intelligent and valuable daughter of Pakistan.
In a message issued on the 7th death anniversary of Arfa Karim, CM Buzdar said she was the youngest information technology expert. With her God-gifted abilities, she brought glory to Pakistan’s name, he added.
The CM said that intelligent daughters like Arfa Karim are a ray of hope for the country.
Arfa Karim was a sign of passion and courage for the new generation and she would always live in our hearts, he added.
Arfa was born in a small village near Faisalabad on Feburary 2, 1995. At the age of nine, she became the Microsoft Certified Professional after passing its exam, making her the youngest to achieve that record, and her name roared across the entire IT world for being the youngest to pass MCP exam.
Microsoft Corporation invited the young genius to America for a visit the same year following her achievement and represented Pakistan on various international forums, making her family and close relatives proud of her sheer achievements in such a small age.
Arfa was studying at the Lahore Grammar School`s Paragon Campus for her A Levels.
She received the Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of science and technology in 2005, besides the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award.
In November 2006, Arfa attended the Tech-Ed Developers conference themed Get ahead of the game held in Barcelona on an invitation from Microsoft. She was the only Pakistani among over 5000 developers in that conference.
She had also received President’s Award for Pride of Performance.
On 2 August 2005, she became the youngest person to receive a first flight certificate from Dubai Flying Club. She was presented the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz on the occasion of 113th birth anniversary of Fatima Jinnah.
At the age of 16, Arfa passed away on January 14, 2012 in Lahore following an epileptic attack. After her death, a commemorative postage stamp was also issued to recognise her achievemens, by the approval of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on January 20, 2012.
Lahore’s IT tower – the highest building in Punjab province – was named after her.
