Aarifa had shown improvement over the past four days.
LAHORE: Arfa Karim, 16 years old, child prodigy, inspiration, youngest certified Microsoft Professional in the world and winner of the president’s Pride of Performance, breathed her last on Saturday night at the Combined Military Hospital in Lahore.
The teenage genius suffered an attack on that which had given her recognition and made her a source of inspiration for young and old across the country – her brain. Arfa had an epileptic attack on December 22 and had been in a coma since, while well-wishers prayed and watched her progress closely.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Major Ahsan Randhawa, Arfa’s uncle, articulated the family’s grief as best as he could. “We are grieving her loss but she was a strong child”, he said – adding “she was God’s gift to us and now she has returned to Him”.
Arfa is to be buried in her ancestral village, close to Faisalabad. She had always identified herself with her roots, and had said proudly once that although she came from a ‘low-profile’ family, she wanted to study all over the world and then come back to help the people in her village.
The child prodigy, who was on life support at the Intensive Care Unit while the nation watched with bated breath, suffered a complication on Saturday evening when she was shifted to the emergency room. Major Ahsan Randhawa said that a tracheotomy tube (tracheal tube entered into the trachea through a minor incision), which had been recently inserted to facilitate her breathing, resulted in bleeding in the throat. Previously the tracheal tube had been inserted via her mouth. She was immediately shifted to the operating theatre where Arfa lost her battle for life.
Major Ahsan Randhawa added that Arfa had been doing fine prior to the complication. ”She had no complication prior to the bleeding,” he said adding “everything just happened so suddenly”. Arfa was declared dead soon after.
“She wasn’t being operated for surgery, she had been shifted to emergency because of the bleeding,” he said.
Arfa’s funeral prayers will be offered at the Ayub stadium in Cantonment at 10 am on Sunday. Later, her body will be shifted to Faisalabad where another funeral prayer will be offered at D Ground in People’s Colony in Faisalabad at 2 pm.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.
More in Pakistan
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return’
Whole nation’s proud of you sister.
May your soul rest in peace. :(
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Arfa Karim Randhawa, recipient of the President’s Award for Pride of Performance, the youngest Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) in the world, the first flight certificate holder from flying club in Dubai at the age of 10, dies in Lahore. Inna Lillah
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May her soul rest in peaceRecommend
deeply saddened today.. :(
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Sad news….ILWIARJ….May Allah grant her Jannah and sabar to her parents. Great loss for the family and country.
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GREAT LOSS OF PAKISTAN….. MAY ALLAH REST HER SOUL IN PEACE. AMEEN
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So sad. may her soul rest in peace. Amen
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thiz news has made me very upset…ths grl ws my inspiration…rest in peace arfa..i ll miss u
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RIP. This is truly tragic. The nation is proud of you Aarifa.
May God give courage to her parents and loved ones.
Forever remembered.
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May she rest in peace.
Her achievements will always be remembered.
Inna lilahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oun.
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oh very sad.heart breaking news.Nation lost a talented child.She fought her death.rest in peace girl.
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You made us proud, daughter of Pakistan!
RIP beautiful.
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sad, sad loss… may Allah give her parents the sabar to bear this.
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Is she had any illness?
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May almighty Allah rest her soul eternal peace. Ameen.
Of course Big loss of the nation and big loss of parents in early age.
Every body turned sad after knowing that ARFA is no more with us.
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We could never have valued your great mind. Rest in peace!!Recommend
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
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Inna Lillahi wa Inna Elahi Rajioon
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
May GOD rest her soul in peace forever ameen…Very sad breaking news..Recommend
Innah lillahi wa innah illahi rajioon.
A great loss for Pakistan. So much achieved in such a short life. Aarifa you have done us proud.
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my Allah give her peace
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Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiyoun.
May Allah grant you highest place in paradise. Ameen
Truly saddened by her passing away. She was beautiful young and energetic and made us proud. We thank you for that and inshallah we will honor you.
I hope the government names top institutions after her
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(Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un)
Its biggest loss for Pakistani, May her soul peace in rest! and Al Mighty Allah grant her Janna’ and give her family Sabr-e-Jameel. Ameen!
Please Recite Suraha/Verse for her!
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Very sad news. May she rest in peace :(
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RIP
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very sad
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May her soul rest in peace. This Kid had made us proud.
May Allah give courage to her parent to bear this great national loss.(Inna lilahi wa inna ilaihi rajion). The whole nation is proud of you…..
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RIP Arifa Karim! You were a jewel
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RIP Aarifa Karim. Your death is our national loss. Recommend
Innalillahi wainnailaihi rajioon. Our young Pakistan has a lot of struggle left.Recommend
Toooo saddd…!!
May her soul rest in Peace,
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May her soul rest in peace ….
she could not be sent abroad for treatment .Recommend
Very sad news. ‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return
Great loss for this Pakistan nation. At the same time we have to realize how pathetic condition for a common man of Pakistan. If she would had been a Politician, bureaucrat or General, she could had flown to UK/USARecommend
(Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un) – Pakistan is SAD Today!!!
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RIP. May allah give courage to her family. Ameen
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
Pakistan lost a big asset today :( Rest in Peace.. You proud and inspire all of us
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May she rest in peace.
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v v sad … made me cry ..:((((Recommend
(Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un)
May Allah grant you highest place in paradise. Ameen
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RIP Aarifa! You death is a great loss for our nation. It’s so unfair. Why people like you have to leave? Crying..Recommend
May ALLAH SWT give her parents the endure this phenomenal loss…
The whole nation has lost one of the brightest minds in its history. Indeed a sad moment… We all have to go one day.
إنا لله و إنا إليه راجعون
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very sad news…
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SO SAD……….Recommend
May Allah give Arfa`s Parents the strength and courage to bear this loss ….
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Lots of prayers for you our little darling you made Pakistan proud ..Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
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Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Allaihi Raji’un….
Oh Dear Lady you will always be remembered….:(
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about 30mints ealier I got an sms that she is died..
I was so angry that disinformation continues… then another ones comes..
So I have to check it on net..
I cant believe it.. I was and I am shocked to learn that she is no more with us..
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
she is “Whole nation’s proud”..
Allah unke parents ko sabr jameel ata farmain…
Ameen
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One of the most intelligent daughter’s of Pakistan has died.
She was nearer and dearer to Al-Mighty Allah and that is why she has been called by the Creator.
I do not have any words to express my grief about the little daughter who has left all of us today alone.
May Al-Mighty Allah rest her soul in peace. Ameen.
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Very sad news. May God give parents fortitude and patience. Pakistan has lost a young gem.
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May Imam take care of her Heavens !!
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extremely sad news! May her soul rest in peace and May God give her family strength to cope with this huge loss. Ameen.
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May Allah rest her soul in peace.
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Sad that such a bright child was taken away so early. May she rest in peace. And may God compensate this by gifting hundreds of such gifted kids who’ll do good for the world.
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Rest in Peace.
We all are very proud of you
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Its a true loss… my heart goes out to the parents and our pakistani nation… it shows how helpless we human beings are… . God bless you…..
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إنا لله و إنا إليه راجعون
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
May Allah rest her soul in peace….
Aarifa Karim you made your country proud!
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إنا لله و إنا إليه راجعون
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Short but great life. God bless her and her family.
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Utterly saddened!
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So sad. May you rest in peace Angel. My deepest sympathies for Randhawas.
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Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Allaihi Raji’un
May her soul rest in peace and Allah give courage to the family ,
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I am sure many others had an unknown emotional attachment to this young princess who has saddened so many of us. May Allah give her a place near bibi Fatima (RA) and may He give patience to her parents. You made us all proud and you left us all with tears in eyes.
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Oh Arfa! I along with the whole nation prayed for U. Such an unlucky nation we are…*cries*
U r in a better place than us.
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INA ALLAH WA INA ALIHI RAJYOUN
such a great loss so cute n intelgnt star of pakistan nw not with us may ALLAH ALMIGHTY rest her soul in peace and give her parents sbr e jamil
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What a great asset we lost, so soon. :(
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Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
today is the most sad day of my life. i feel that my own sister passed away. i never feel such kind of feeling. but today i am weeping for my sister Irfa. why such people passed away so early that are necessary for Pakistan. A bright child was taken away so early.
IRFA YOU WERE A BRIGHTENED STAR AND YOU MAKE PAKISTAN SO PROUD. WE CANNOT FORGET YOU INSHALLAH. ALLAH AAP KO KARWT KARWT JAN’NT ATA FRMAYN.
PLZ ALL PEOPLE PRAY FOR OUR STAR SISTER, DAUGHTER.Recommend
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
May Allah Grant Her Jannah. Aameen
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Amazing young lady. May she rest in peace.
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May her soul rest in peace.We lost a very precious person from pakistan.
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RIP
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Irfa Karim was a source of inspiration of Pakistani children, and a real hope for others. She was Bill Gate of Pakistan, a new, brighter face of Pakistan. It is not demise of Arfa Krim but of hope. Ever since I listen about her, I remained eager to know about her achievement. I am shocked with tearful eyes. May Allah bless her and provide her a beautiful paradise which should have many beautiful computers too.
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Rest in Peace, girl. You’ve made everyone proud. May Allah grant you Jannah and may your loved ones be rewarded for their Sabr.
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May Allah give you the certificate to go to heaven
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Arfa Kareem, in a rush to do everything at a very age …………. even leaving for her eternal abode !! RIP
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so sad, its a great loss for her parents and the nation too, may Allah give her a place in Janat ul Firdous
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Heart breaking news. Could not stop tears when I heard this.
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:’( LOSS.
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Arifa, Alas in your sickness and your passing away the world now knows you more. I am sad and so is everyone. Rest in Peace.
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Have no words!!!!
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Had the treatment taken careoff sooner, she would be still alive. Hope fully as Mr. Bill Gates offered finacial help for treatment in U.S. this little angel would have been alive. Our hearts are saddened. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family members.Amen and Amen.
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إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ…..May Allah bless Arfa’s soul and may He sends her to the place of eternal pleasures and peace!! May Allah gives her family patience to bear this loss. I am really very Grieved!
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To Allah we belong and to him shall we return. Rest in peace kiddo
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May her soul rest in peace ….
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Rest in peace little sister.
Of all the sad news from Pakistan, this one really hurts.
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Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
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My wishes and prayers for this young kid. I wonder sometimes the sadist nature of god who makes such innocents suffer while many cruel people out there thrives. We need more people like Aarifa here to make this world a beautiful place.
My prayers of the kid and her family to overcome this difficult times.
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Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
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inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajeoon…
May Allah swt bless her soul and make her a waseela for her parents’ forgiveness, ameen.
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What a loss! Inna lillah e wa inna elaihi rajioon..
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return’
Whole nation’s proud of you sister.
May your soul rest in peace. :(
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she was truly pride for Pakistan and may Allah almighty rest her soul in peace and our condolence are always with her beloved family.and may Allah the strength to her family to cope with this loss.
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May her gentle soul rest in peace.Every soul shall taste death……..
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It is a loss to the whole World..may her soul live in eternal peace and also deepest condolances to her family and friends..
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
A very sad day for all of us I feel her passing as a personal loss as if I have lost my own daughter. May the Almighty grant her His Eternal Peace and Strength to her family to bear the enormity of her loss. Her death has left the Nation poorer.
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Before we, as a nation, move on from this great loss and leave it in the past, something we are highly talented at, we should dedicate an institution or an award to her name so that people actually remember her for years to come. It is about time we distinguish and remember our heroes!
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I pray to Allah to grant her Heaven and may Allah give her the patience to bear the loss. It pains me to see the photo of this angle in the newspapers.
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wht did such a young child develop cardiac arrest?
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Inna Lilahi wa ina alihi rajionn..May Allah grant her paradise. Ameen.
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I am extremely sad. she was an inspiration to all of us.
May your soul rest in peace Aarifa.
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May she rest in Peace and may God give her a special place! Children should never pre-decease their parents. My condolences to the family!
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A sad day indeed. Shame she couldn’t be saved.
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“i go on and the world darkens around me. new people, strange faces, different minds.” goodnight! littleone!
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Who knows why things happen the way that they happen, but God Bless Aarifa in all that she accomplished in her short life here on Earth. This young lady is an inspiration to all, no matter what her age, gender, religion, race, etc… I could only imagine doing the things that she had by her age. What an amazing young lady… The world will forever have a gap without her presence.
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Rest in peace. May Allah have mercy on her soul and grant her parents the strength to bear her loss.
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I have no words to show my sorrow. I really have tears in my eyes. She was real asset of Pakistan and she is the person we may not replace even in one century.
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biggest loss of pakistan Recommend
Deeply Shocked to hear about the sad demise of Aarifa. She was a legend. May Almighty Allah rest her soul in peace and give courage to her family to bear this unrepairable loss. .
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My sincerest sympathies to your family and your nation, little sister. What a loss to us all. Rest easy.
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Man proposes, God disposes.
May you Rest in peace little soul. May Allah keep you in heavens with great comfort and delight. You suffered so much now Allah almighty will reward you for that inshAllah. There is no single person on this earth who heard about you and was not praying for you. We Pakistanis, are very unlucky, we are loosing our assets.
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(Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un)
very sad news,,,, Its biggest loss for all Pakistani, May her soul peace in rest! and Al Mighty Allah grant her Janna’ and give her family Sabr-e-Jameel. Ameen! we always miss u arfa.
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May God gather her and her family to his heart and give strength and love everlasting. Such an inspiring, young life to leave our existence so soon. What a wonderful beam of light to have learned from and to have inspired other children! I will keep her spirit alive by retelling this story. Thank you, Aarifa, for everything you accomplished for your family, your country, and the world!!!
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May this angel from the heavens rest in eternal peace… may all our gods open the gates with love and blessings R.I.P Aarifa.. bless all ur family in their time of grief. May they be blessed with the thought that Aarifa has gone to a better place. Amen
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Arfa is in a blessed place now, with her Creator in Heaven.
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It is remarkable that with her frail health she achieved so much success.
Hope a technical institute is built in her honor. Government of Pakistan and Bill Gates can do it jointly. If this happens, I am sure she would be smiling from the Heavens.
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Another one died due to inbreeding. Stop marrying your cousins!
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Although, deeply disappointed and saddened, yet, amongst other things, message could be: liberate your daughters, sisters and other women folk to walk independently on the path of self-actualization.
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Aarifa Karim
I was warmed / touched by her beautiful smile and to hear her voice was like the sound of music.
She appeared to have a beautiful / loving soul. A shining light !
She is a great loss for the human race / world / country and especially her family.
My heart goes out to them on the passing of their gifted / loving daughter.
Dr. Burt A. Frank
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Inna lillahi wa inna elaihi rajioon !
May Allah grant her best place in junnah and grant the family sabr to bear this loss. For her parents, she was part of their soul even if she was just like any regular child. What an aazmaish for parents…..
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RIP Arifa Karim.
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REST IN PEACE, DEAREST BRILLIANT CHILD,
‘Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever will” – literary license taken from “Candle in the Wind”, by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
the world is the less without you
my prayers go out to you, God, your family and friends.
may you live forever in memory.
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Hannigan
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She was never given the chance to just be a little girl and run and play and enjoy life but was instead was taken over by academics and her tiny heart could not withstand the
pressure. For all parents of very smart children please please let them be children at times and enioy life as a child not as an adult
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Until recently, I lived in Karachi and remembered reading about her becoming the youngest certified microsoft professional. I was proud of her and thought she would be an inspiration for the youth. Now that God has taken her back I hope and pray an NGO and/or government can keep her dream and legacy alive by setting up programs for the youth to continue where she left off. There is no reason why Pakistan should not have Digicon Valley. In God’s name and in Aarifa’s memory lets move forward. I pray peace on her soul and fortitude to her parents, family and friends.
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May Jesus Christ our savior bless you with the peace of no more pain or suffering and thank you for enriching our lives.
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Inna Nilla hay wainna elai hay raajioon: A great loss for Education and Pakistan
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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”
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To loose a beautiful child is tragic, to loose one so gifted and loving, only God can know the why. May the Lord give comfort to her parents and her nation, as she was their treasure.
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Sounds like a wonderful girl. Rest in Peace.
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Its a big big loss :(
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a loss to us all. I hope her family is comforted by her extraordinary short life. what an example to us all!
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Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Lillahe Rajeon. ALLMIGHTY ALLAH loves her more than we do.
Colonel (Retd) Amjad Karim Randhawa and Mrs. Randhawa and family, your pain and loss is understandable and we share it but bear it with patience and fortitude.
Please remember again that ALLMIGHTY ALLAH loves her more than Pakistan does and the rest of the world. Please accept my Salam.
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Rest In Peace little girl.Recommend
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
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My loving thoughts and prayers have been with you Aarifa. So sorry for your passing. Prayers for your family precious child.Recommend
RIP Aarifa! My prayers are with her and her family..
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It is not to weep for such a loss but to hold the grief & continue what was already created. Her death would be a reason for others to expand that dream.
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May her soul RIP!
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How deeply sad……..I pray that the family is given the strength to get through this. How truly truly sad…..may Allah have mercy on us all.
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Very sad to hear the death of a true professional and the pride of Pakistan.May Allah rest her soul in peace .She wanted to build Digicon valley same as silicon valley..There might be someone who fulfills this dream which is not only her dream but the dream of the whole Pakistani nation.Very sad.
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may the glory of Allah be in your spirit forever…thankyou…Recommend
may the glory of God-Allah be with you forever…
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R. I. P. Words can’t express the grief I have inside my after reading this piece of news.
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According to her uncle ( on his facebook page )..actually she was slipped during Hajj , and got faint.,was hopitalised for 3 days in ksa, Her parents thoghts that she ok now but slow bleeding in brain damaged her..
PS ( I have just cut and paste from his status )
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The loss of a great talent. This shows that God takes away the most beautiful people on earth. May your soul RIP!
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fingures not helping me to type,any how great loss in I.T for all over the world,may
Alllah (God) replace her with the better one.May Allah bless all Pakistani and her Parents and the all the people in the world who like her and were in touch with her.
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may allah rest her soul in heaven
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Im extremely sadden by the lost of this young smart girl. May Allah give her parents strength and patience to cope with their loss. Arfa has inspired many of us young girls, here in New York. May her soul rest in peace. We are proud of her accomplishments in life and will continue to pray for her. “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” (To Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return)
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إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
May ALLAH grant you highest place in paradise….May ALLAH give courage to her family. Ameen…
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It is a loss for the whole nation. My heart bleed for her parents’ agony.
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KAALOO INNA LILLAHe WA INNA ILAIHE RAJIOON. GOD is great really, what he desires he does.
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