Abdul Sattar Edhi, the great philanthropist, was not only a symbol of compassion, love and selfless service but his legacy lives on today inspiring millions across Pakistan and beyond.
Edhi was born in Bantva, Gujarat on February 28, 1928 and moved to Pakistan with his family after the Partition in 1947, and settled in Karachi.
His lifelong efforts for people were motivated by the principle ‘service before self ‘, and he served humanity for over 60 years irrespective of race, creed, religion or caste.
Edhi’s humanitarian work started with establishing a small dispensary in 1951. He had Rs5,000 and created one of the world’s most respected charitable foundations, the Edhi Foundation.
Its Ambulance Services are the world’s largest volunteer Ambulance Services as recognised by Guinness World Records in 1997 and are spread across Pakistan.
Also read: World’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar announces death of elder brother
The foundation also operates hospitals, maternity homes, orphanages, shelters, blood banks, rehabilitation centres, schools and welfare centres, besides providing humanitarian aid to some foreign countries.
For his outstanding achievements, Edhi was honoured with many National and International awards, such as the Nishan-e-Imtiaz and the Ramon Magsaysay Award, among many others.
After a long illness suffering from kidney disease, he died on July 8, 2016 and was buried with state honours.
Later, the State Bank of Pakistan also issued a commemorative coin of Rs50 in his name.
President Asif Ali Zardari, on the 10th year of his death, called Edhi a “lifetime symbol of compassion and service, that transcended race, religion and ethnicity.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif too paid tributes to him, calling him a national asset and his humanitarian endeavours an extraordinary episode in Pakistan’s social history.
Edhi’s life still motivates young people to make a difference in the world by serving humanity with kindness, tolerance and selflessness. His remarkable legacy lives on, he said.
Also read: PM Shehbaz Sharif expresses grief over death of Shoaib Akhtar’s brother
