Abdul Sattar Edhi, a revered figure died in Karachi on 9 July 2016.  Humanity in general and Pakistan in particular lost its ‘Angel of Mercy’. Edhi’s name   had become synonymous with charitable causes and who achieved an almost saintly status in Pakistan.  He was quoted as saying ‘social progress had not matched the world’s material and technological advances. People have become educated but have yet to become human.’ A famously ascetic figure always clad in simple clothes. He had no desire for worldly belongings and cared only about serving humanity noting that his final wish was to be buried in the clothes he wore when he died and for any of his usable organs to be donated.   Starting with a small medical aid service in 1951 Mr Edhi grew his organization into one of world’s largest and most respected philanthropic services. Widely admired for his stubborn integrity he only accepted private donations refusing government offers of support   and commitment to helping Pakistan’ s destitute and forgotten. Edhi was often referred to as Pakistan’s Mother Teresa. 

He saw charity as a central tenet of Islam and lived humbly with his wife Bilquis in the same building as his organization’s offices. But unlike Mother Teresa, Edhi had to operate in the face of death threats and other obstacles. He defied the threats and continued his work which was of purely humanitarian nature. May this noble soul rest in eternal peace. 

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