By IANS,
Chandigarh : This was an India-Pakistan bloodletting of a different sort. A housewife from Pakistan has donated blood for dengue patients here, showing that blood ties are stronger than anything else.
In a gesture filled with warmth and affection for her Indian friends, Rashida Raza of Lahore donated blood at the Rotary and Blood Bank Society Resource Centre here to help dengue patients who were suffering due to shortage of life-saving blood platelets.
“All of us were overwhelmed by the spirit of compassion she displayed. In an instant, Rashida made all physical and political barriers disappear by her positive attitude and humane approach,” Chandigarh’s Blood Bank Society president Kanta Saroop Krishen said Monday.
Rashida, who came to Chandigarh with her husband Kasim Raza to attend a ‘Sangeet Sammelan’ – the Indian National Theatre’s annual festival of music – donated the blood Saturday after she read in local newspapers that there was a shortage of blood for dengue patients.
“Rashida is a housewife and made an impromptu decision to donate blood when she heard of the shortage of blood for dengue patients in the tri-city,” Kanta Saroop Krishen said.
Both Rashida and her husband are fond of classical music. Kasim is a musicologist and student of philosophy. When his wife was donating blood, Kasim went around, very proudly filming the entire event on his handycam.
India and Pakistan have fought four wars against each other over the past six decades, but have lately been taking measures to bridge the divide through talks and trade ties.