June 16, 2006	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 15: Famous social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi has called upon well-to-do people to contribute according to their capacities for the welfare of the needy.

He was talking to reporters at the Press Club here on Thursday. He said the Edhi centres were spread all over the country and abroad and were providing welfare services to people in distress.

He said he had planned to further expand the network of his welfare activities. He claimed that his ambulance services working round-the-clock were the largest in the world.

He said the Edhi Foundation was also working for provision of lodging and livelihood to orphans and homeless children; imparting education and technical skills to children and women, taking care of abandoned newborns and giving them to childless couples and providing succour to people affected by natural calamities.

He advised people to develop a sense of cooperation and helpfulness.

Narrating his story, Mr Edhi said the first twenty years of his life were spent in planning for the social work he had in mind. Then he started his work from a footpath of Karachi. Now, after 60 years, the Edhi Foundation has become the biggest network of social services in Pakistan and had international fame.

He said he had 300 centres in Pakistan, 37 abroad and 16 Edhi homes where poor, parentless children especially girls were taught vocational and technical skills.

The Edhi Foundation chairman called for adopting principles of truthfulness, simplicity, hard working and punctuality. He said these are the key to a successful life. “We should develop a sense of unity and collectivity instead of divisions and fragmentation,” he said.