HYDERABAD: Faisal Edhi, son of national icon Abdul Sattar Edhi, has expressed his resolve to follow his father’s mission of serving humanity selflessly and said those who are criticising his father have no tolerance.

He said at a programme organised by Hyderabad Press Club in collaboration with Human Rights Commi­ssion of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday to pay tribute to late Edhi that those who loved Edhi would always want to see the institutions established by him working with the same spirit.

He said that his father had developed such a system and founded his organisation on such a firm footing that it would not wither away that easily.

He vowed to expand network of services Edhi Foundation provided to people and said that he was proud of people of Hyderabad and saluted them for always extending a helping hand to Edhi organisation.

He recalled that this city gave the first martyr to Edhi. The martyr was a volunteer, Javed Memon, who was taking an injured doctor from one hospital to another to save his life during ethnic riots in Hyderabad and died when the ambulance was fired upon, he said.

He criticised those who did not approve of organ donations on the ground that the organs belonged to God and said that even after having donated the organs, they would ultimately have to become part of the soil in grave.

He said that Edhi Centre’s “where are your mom and dad” service was launched to reunite missing children with their families with the result that majority of boys were reunited with families but success rate among girls was unimpressive.

His centre avoided sending girls in bus alone for security reasons, he said.

He urged the Radio Pakistan to restart its programme “whose child is this” as it had been a great success. The programme was closed in 2013. He said that he did not face any threat but said those who criticised Edhi lacked tolerance.

If the government formed district level welfare society then his organisation would find little space to work.

HRCP’s Asad Iqbal Butt said that Edhi had introduced ‘jholi progrmame’ for first time in the world.

A tableau was presented to pay tribute to Edhi and Shah Latif Bhitai’s ragis recited Shah’s poetry as a mark of tribute to Edhi.

HRPC president Wasim Khan, secretary Khaliq Chandio, senior journalist Ali Hassan, Dr Ashothama and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2016