Pakistan: Legendary social worker Edhi dead at 92

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Abdul Sattar Edhi, the iconic Pakistani social worker, humanitarian, and ascetic, died in Karachi on Friday at the age of 92, his family announced.

Established in 1949, his Edhi Foundation runs Asia's largest private ambulance fleet, comprising 1,800 ambulances across Pakistan. The foundation has over 300 centers with a nationwide workforce of more than 8,000.

The foundation also runs a number of orphanages, free clinics, mortuaries, nursing homes and food kitchen in various cities across Pakistan. Founded with a meager 5,000 Pakistani rupees ($50), his foundation soon became one of largest NGOs in South Asia.

The recipient of several international awards, Edhi had been bedridden for two years and suffering from a combination of diseases, including kidney failure, diabetes, and blood pressure.

He was put on a ventilator on Friday afternoon at a local hospital after he complained of shortness of breath. According to his son Faisal Edhi, the doctors pronounced his father dead after a few hours.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussein and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered their condolences, calling his death a national loss, and three days of national mourning were declared.

Abdul Sattar Edhi was born in 1924 in the Indian state of Gujrat, and migrated to Pakistan in 1947 following the division of united India.

Edhi’s funeral is to be held tomorrow, his son announced.