ABDUL SATTAR EDHI PHILANTHROPIST (1928-2016) August 14, 2016 (2016-06)

Abdul Sattar Edhi was a prominent Pakistani philanthropist, social activist, ascetic, and humanitarian. He was the founder and head of the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan and ran the organization for the better part of more than six decades. He was known as Angel of Mercy and was considered Pakistan's "most respected" and legendary figure. In 2013, The Huffington Post said that he might be "the world's greatest living humanitarian". Edhi created a charitable empire out of nothing. He masterminded Pakistan's largest welfare organization almost single-handedly, entirely with private company and donations.

Edhi was born in 1928 (according to NIC) in Bantva in the Gujarat, British India after partition, his mother became paralyzed from a stroke and she died 1954. His personal experiences and care for his mother during her illness caused him to develop a system of services for old, mentally ill and challenged people. The partition of India led Edhi and his family to migrate to Pakistan in 1947. He then shifted to Karachi to work in a market at a wholesale shop. (His mother would give him 1 paisa for his meals and another to give to a beggar during Childhood). He initially started as a peddler, and later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a few years in 1951, he established a free dispensary with help from his community.

Edhi resolved to dedicate his life to aiding the poor, and over the next sixty years, he single handedly changed the face of welfare in Pakistan. Edhi founded the Edhi Foundation. Additionally, he established a welfare trust, named the Edhi Trust with an initial sum of five thousand rupees which was later renamed as Bilqis Edhi Trust. Regarded as a guardian for the poor, Edhi began receiving numerous donations, which allowed him to expand his services. Edhi Foundation is currently the largest welfare organization in Pakistan. Since its inception, the Edhi Foundation has rescued over 20,000 (Normal & Abnormal) abandoned infants, rehabilitated over 50,000 orphans and has trained over 1,000 midwives. It also runs more than 330 welfare centres in rural and urban Pakistan which operate as food kitchens, rehabilitation homes, shelters for abandoned women and children and clinics for the mentally handicapped.

The Edhi Foundation, founded by Edhi, runs the world's largest ambulance service (operating 1,500 of them) and offers 24-hour emergency services. It also operates free nursing homes, orphanages, clinics, women's shelters, and rehab centre's for drug addicts and mentally ill individuals. It has run relief operations in Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus region, eastern Europe and United States where it provided aid following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. On 1 January 2014, Edhi was voted the 2013 Person of the Year by the readers of The Express Tribune. He was recommended for a Nobel Peace prize by the Prime Minister of Pakistan with more than 30,000 signing a petition by Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala Yousafzai for his nomination.

Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarters in Karachi and organizes the adoption of unwanted or abandoned babies. Edhi was known for his ascetic lifestyle, owning only two pairs of clothes, never taking a salary from his organisation and living in an Single room next to his organization's office.

On 25 June 2013, Edhi's kidneys failed; it was announced that he would be on dialysis for the rest of his life, kidney could not be replaced due to old age and other illness. Edhi died on 8 July 2016 at the age of 88 due to kidney failure after having been placed on a ventilator. His last wishes included the request that his organs were to be donated but due to his ill health, only his corneas were suitable. Reactions to his death came from several high-ranking Pakistani officials. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said "We have lost a great servant of humanity. He was the real manifestation of love for those who were socially vulnerable, impoverished, helpless and poor. The country's head of the Army, Raheel Sharif, called him a "true humanitarian".

Prime Minister Nawaz declared national mourning on the following day. According to ISPR state honour was given to Edhi by guard of honour and 19-gun-salute. He was only the third Pakistani to receive the historical gun carriage funeral (after Quaid e Azam and Zia ul Haq). President of Pakistan, Chairman Senate, Provincial Gover nors, Chief Ministers, Chief of Army along with Chief of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force participated in funeral prayers of Edhi at National Stadum, Karachi.

He was laid to rest at the Edhi Village Karachi on 9-7-2016.

International Awards:

1. Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service (1986).

2. Lenin Peace Prize (1988) (For services in Armenian Earthquake).

3. Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International (1993).

4. Hamdan Award for volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services (2000), UAE.

5. International Balzan Prize (2000) for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood, Italy.

6. Peace and Harmony Award (2001), Delhi.

7. Peace Award (2004), Mumbai.

8. Peace Award (2005), Hyderabad Deccan.

9. Gandhi Peace Award (2007), Delhi.

10. Peace Award (2008), Seoul.

11. UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize (2009).

12. Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize (2010).

National Awards:

Silver Jubilee Shield by the College of Physicians and Surgeons (1962-1987). In September 2010, Edhi was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the

Ø  University of Bedfordshire. The Social Worker of Sub-Continent by Government of Sindh (1989).

Ø  Nishan-e-Imtiaz, civil decoration from the Government of Pakistan (1989).

Ø  Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the 1980's by

Ø  Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan (1989).

Ø  Shield of Honor by Pakistan Army (E & C).

Ø  Khidmat Award by the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.

Ø  Bacha Khan Aman (Peace) Award in 1991.

Ø  In 2006, Institute of Business Administration Pakistan conferred an honoris causa degree of Doctor of Social Service Management for his services.

Ø  Pakistan Civic Award from the Pakistan Civic Society (1992).

Ø  Moiz ur Rehman Award (2015).

Ø  In 2004 Greenwich University, degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

On Abdul Sattar Edhi, Philanthropist (1928-2016) a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 20/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on August 14, 2016.