Pakistani community in UAE mourns humanitarian Edhi

Dubai: Pakistan expatriates in the UAE mourned renowned philanthropist and humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi yesterday. Edhi died on Friday at a hospital in Karachi following prolonged illness.

Dozens attended the funeral prayer organised by the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) after the 88-year-old was laid to rest at Edhi village in Karachi, which he founded 25 years ago.

Speaking to Gulf News ahead of the memorial service, Dr Faisal Ikram, PAD general secretary, hailed Abdul Sattar Edhi as the only non-controversial personality in Pakistan.

“Edhi is the only personality in Pakistan who is equally loved by every section of the 180 million Pakistanis. His mission was a message to the whole of humanity to live and work for others,” he said.

He added though he has left this world, his ideology and his vision will live in people’s hearts forever.

Samina Nasir, member of PAD’s executive body, called Edhi an inspiration behind whatever little social work she does. “I used to be a teacher in Ajman in 1990s and that’s when I heard about Edhi when he received an award from Italy. Since then whatever little social work I have done had been because of him,” said Nasir.

Quoting Edhi from his book, Nasir said: “Edhi wrote in his book that he learnt philanthropy from his mother, who used to give him one anna (a denomination of Indian and Pakistani currency before partition) for his school trip, with instructions that half of it should be given to the poorest in the class. This is how mothers should encourage social welfare.” Social worker Irfan Mustafa said this is the tragedy with most societies that they remember the efforts of great men like Edhi only when they depart.

“I would like to see how long this will sustain. A tribute to Edhi will be to carry forward his unfinished work,” said Mustafa. Earlier yesterday, thousands flocked to the packed National Stadium in Karachi for his funeral, marked by prayers and an army guard of honour.

Hailing from a family of Gujarati traders, Edhi turned to philanthropy when, after migrating to Pakistan along with his family following the partition of India in 1947, he saw that there was no one to take care of the downtrodden.

In 1951, he opened his first clinic and gradually his foundation grew into the country’s largest welfare organisation, with schools, orphanages, old age and disabled homes as well as hospitals and ambulance services.

Known for his simplicity, Edhi reportedly used only two sets of clothes and live in a small room attached to the foundation’s office.