KARACHI: Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, the youngest daughter of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, on Saturday met Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founding chief of the country’s largest charity and offered him every possible support for his treatment that was again turned down with thanks by the seriously ill activist.

Ms. Bhutto interacted with Mr. Edhi for a few minutes, who only moved his hands to respond while lying over the bed due to weakness and serious illness, and took his hand to show gratitude and respect.

“I came here as your daughter,” she was recorded by the cameras while taking to Mr Edhi who was assisted by his son Faisal Edhi. “We all love you very much and want you to be healthy again. You can be treated anywhere you want.”

Mr Edhi was seen just shaking his head conveying, as his son said that he was happy and satisfied with the treatment at a local hospital. However, the ailing activist made appeal to the youngest daughter of the slain prime minister to pursue his request for land to expand graveyard of the charity established in Mowach Goth for unclaimed bodies. Ms Bhutto-Zardari assured him to taking up the matter with the Sindh authorities concerned.

Before moving to Bilquees Edhi Women Foundation in Clifton from the Mithadar Centre, Ms Bhutto-Zardari made multiple tweets about her meeting with Mr Edhi.

“Just visited Abdul Sattar Edhi Sahab passed on well wishes and prayers from @BBhuttoZardari [Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari] & @BakhtawarBZ [Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari. A pillar of our community,” said one of the tweets. “Abdul Sattar Edhi Sahab has done so much for our country the least we can do is ensure he has the best possible healthcare in Pakistan.”

At the Bilquees Edhi Women Foundation, she had Iftar with orphans and met people staying at the facility.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2016