Pakistan Journalist brings alive life and work of the country's well-known humanitarian Edhi.
As Pakistan mourned the death of celebrated philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, Dawn journalist Hasan Mansoor, who had written about him in the past, paid a heartwarming tribute to the humanitarian on Twitter. Edhi died on Friday from renal failure at the age of 92.
In a series of tweets, Mansoor mourned the loss of a great charity worker of the country and gave an insight into his life, work and character.
Mansoor also says he remained unswayed by critics, many of whom were religious extremists.
An excerpt from Half of Two Paisas, Lorenza Raponi and Michele Zanzucchi 's book on Edhi and his work, explains the challenges he faced from clerics: "Despite a lot of criticism by some Islamist radicals and clerics, Edhi continued his work without fear. An excerpt from a book on him says: in 1970, when Edhi started offering this rather unusual service, it was initially met with fierce opposition on several fronts. On the one hand, the hardline mullahs said that the cradles would certainly provide an alibi for girls to give birth to more children outside of wedlock. On the other, there were a whole series of formal issues related to the Quranic laws excluding orphans from inheriting and from bearing their adoptive father’s name. But after a while, the idea was accepted and now even parents themselves occasionally bring a baby they do not want to or cannot keep directly to the Edhi centres.'
Mansoor speaks about the Edhi's staunch belief in his welfare work in the face of religious extremism.
Mansoor also recalled Edhi's humble way of life-
Mansoor said that Edhi would be immortalised through his words and actions.
About Abdul Sattar Edhi
Edhi who formed the famous Edhi village 25 years ago which was home to the homeless, destitute, street children, elderly, abandoned babies and addicts was Chairman of the Edhi foundation which was celebrated for its humanitarian work.
Born in Gujarat to a family of memon traders who came to Karachi during partition, Edhi started his welfare mission in 1951 opening his first home for homeless and sick in the Kharadar area in Karachi.
In June, former president Asif Ali Zardari had offered to send Edhi abroad for treatment but the philanthropist refused it saying he prefers to be treated at a government hospital in Pakistan.
Nominated several times for the Nobel peace prize, including this year, Edhi had won a host of international awards in recognition of his work.
Belonging to a family of traders, Edhi settled in Karachi in 1947. He was born in Gujarat and started welfare work in 1951 with the first home for homeless and sick in Karachi.
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