KARACHI: Expressing concern and sympathy over growing cases of Covid-19 in India, Pakistan’s premier social welfare organisation Edhi Foundation has offered help to the neighbouring country.

Faisal Edhi, managing trustee of the Edhi Foundation and son of the world famous philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, said they had been closely following the impact that the Covid-19 crisis had cast on the people of India.

“We are very sorry to hear about the exceptionally heavy impact that the pandemic has had on your country, where a tremendous number of people are suffering immensely,” wrote Mr Edhi. He said that “as a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you greatly and during this strenuous time, we would like to extend our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing, the current health conditions”.

Plans sending fleet of 50 ambulances with medical technicians to neighbouring country

“I, Faisal Edhi, managing trustee of the Edhi Foundation, am personally offering to lead and manage the humanitarian team from my organisation,” he said in the letter.

Mr Edhi said that his organisation understood the gravity of the situation and wished to lend full support. “We will arrange all the necessary supplies that our team needs to assist the people of India.”

Mr. Edhi said: “Importantly, we are not requesting any other assistance from you, as we are providing the fuel, food and other necessary amenities that our team will require.”

He pointed out that the Edhi Foundation’s team would consist of emergency medical technicians, drivers and supporting staff.

“In order to implement our proposed service, we only request your permission to enter India as well as any necessary guidance from the local administration and police department,” he added.

He said: “We are willing and ready to deploy our team into any critical areas of concern at your discretion without hesitation.

“We look forward to assisting you in managing the current humanitarian crises, and hope only to provide our help in whatever way that we can, for the benefit of the people of India.”

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2021