Pakistan's silver lining: A year after his death, 'Angel of Mercy' lives on
Today marks the first death anniversary of Abdul Sattar Edhi. (Photo: AFP)
By Saad Syed
A year has gone since Pakistan’s ‘Angel of Mercy’ passed away. Pakistan’s most revered philanthropist, Abdul Sattar Edhi, created Pakistan’s largest welfare organization, the Edhi Foundation, out of nothing. Led on to this humanitarian path after witnessing his mother’s debilitating illness at the tender age of eleven, Edhi worked for the alleviation of the suffering of those around him for more than half a century.
The foundation that he established became a blessing for the ill, the needy, and the neglected. It provides, among other services, free medical care, shelter for the poor, drug rehabilitation, disaster relief, and care for the orphans and handicapped. What started in a single room bought from donations collected in the streets by Edhi himself, now boasts the largest ambulance service in the world. This is a reflection of relentless struggle of the humanitarian who desired nothing but to see no one suffer from illness and neglect.
Here we look at the life of Abdul Sattar Edhi, deemed by many as the greatest humanitarian that ever lived.
The Edhi Foundation has the largest ambulance service in the world. (Photo: AFP)
Edhi was known for himself making rounds of the city in an ambulance (Photo- AFP)
Edhi and his wife, Bilquis, in their office. Edhi adhered to a very simple and modest lifestyle. (Photo - AFP)
Edhi collecting donations on the roadside in Karachi. (Photo- AFP)
Edhi was very fond of spending time with the children at Edhi centers. (Photo- AFP)
Edhi with Geeta, a deaf and mute Hindu girl, who had strayed over the border from India. (Photo - AFP)
Google celebrated Edhi’s 89th birthday on Feb 28, 2017 with a colourful doodle. (Screengrab of the doodle)
A passerby salutes Edhi as he makes a round on his ambulance. (Photo - AFP)
Edhi and his wife sitting outside their office in Karachi. (Photo - AFP)
Thousands from among the government, military and ordinary citizens attended the philanthropist’s funeral. (Photo - AFP)
Faisal Edhi has been running the Edhi Foundation since his father’s death. (Photo - AFP)
