Tag: Faisal Edhi

  • People in Rajanpur await relief packages

    People in Rajanpur await relief packages

    Hundreds of flood affectees in Rajanpur district, Punjab, are awaiting government aid as they continue to camp on roads to escape the devastation of high water levels in their villages and towns, reports Ilyas Gabol for Samaa News.

    According to the affectees, no one from the government has reached out to them with relief packages.

    “No one has come here to deliver relief package to us despite several claims by the government that aid is being disbursed among the needy persons,” a flood victim told Samaa.

    Another woman said, “We are helplessly sitting on the side of the road fending for ourselves and cooking whatever is available.”

    She requested the authorities to send help immediately.

    ’90 per cent of people still await assistance’: Faisal Edhi

    Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation said that the situation is critical and warned that it’s going to worsen.

    He highlighted that people’s participation in relief work as compared to the 2010 floods and 2005 earthquake in Pakistan isn’t sufficient.

    Edhi revealed that despite a great deal of effort made by the Edhi Foundation, government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), help has reached 10 percent of people. “90 per cent of them still await assistance,” he observed.

    “There are people who say that they don’t want to come to the streets with their children. They only ask for food. Water has entered their houses,” he said.

    Moreover, he said he fears that international migration from Pakistan will begin as thirty to forty million people have been affected by the catastrophe.

    In the last 24 hours, 57 more deaths have occurred which has taken the death toll to 1,265.

    The Current has compiled a list of things that you can donate.

  • Faisal Edhi files visa application for Palestine

    Faisal Edhi files visa application for Palestine

    Pakistani humanitarian Faisal Edhi has announced that he has submitted a visa request with the Palestinian embassy in Pakistan to grant him permission to fly to Palestine and help the Palestinians who have been subjected to Israeli atrocities for a long time now.

    “We want to take part in the relief work in Palestine via the Edhi Foundation. Five people, including my son Saad Edhi [and myself], will be going to Palestine,” says Faisal.

    Son of renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and chairman of the Edhi Foundation, Faisal said that his organisation will buy food and medicine from Egypt, adding that the foundation has set aside a budget of “Rs25-30 million” for the purpose. 

    “We do not want any support from the government as we will do everything with the help of people,” said Edhi.

    Israeli airstrikes hammered the Gaza Strip after a week of violence that has killed nearly 200 Palestinians, despite international calls for de-escalation.

  • ‘As a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you’: Faisal Edhi offers India help

    Managing Trustee of Edhi Foundation Faisal Edhi, in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has offered help to manage the deadly second wave of coronavirus in India.

    “We, at the Edhi Foundation, have been closely following the current impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on the people of India,” read the letter. “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.”

    Faisal further wrote: “As a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you greatly and during this strenuous time, we would like to extends our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing the health conditions.”

    “We will arrange all the necessary supplies that our team needs to assist the people of India,” added the letter further.

    “I, Faisal Edhi, Managing Trustee of the Edhi Foundation, am personally offering to lead and manage the humanitarian team from my organisation,” said Faisal.

    He continued: “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.”

    “Our team consists of emergency medical technicians, office staff, drivers, and supporting staff,” stated Faisal further. “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.”

    “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,” he concluded.

    On Thursday, India recorded the world’s highest daily tally of 314,835 COVID-19 infections in a single day and hospitals in India are running out of medical oxygen. As per the Indian media news outlet, In the first wave of Covid-19, the demand for medical oxygen had increased from 700 metric tonnes per day to 2,800 metric tonnes per day. However, in the past few days, the demand has reached nearly 5,000 metric tonnes per day.

  • Here are all the celebrities who were honoured with a Civil Award this year

    Here are all the celebrities who were honoured with a Civil Award this year

    It’s that time of the year when notable Pakistanis are recognised for their contributions in different fields at an investiture ceremony at Aiwan-i-Sadr. Despite rising cases of COVID-19, this year was no different and on March 23, 2021, President Dr Arif Alvi conferred top civil and military honours upon various personalities, including those from the entertainment industry.

    According to Radio Pakistan, President Alvi presented various awards to 88 recipients including six Nishan-e-Imtiaz, three Hilal-e-Imtiaz, 24 Sitara-i- Shuja’at, eight Sitara-e-Imtiaz, 14 President’s Award for Pride of Performance, one Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, one Sitara-e-Khidmat, one Tamgha-i-Pakistan, 22 Tamgha-i-Shuja’at and eight Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.

    Prominent personalities who received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz include Sadiqain Naqvi (Art), Abida Parveen (Singing), Ahmad Faraz (Literature) while Bushra Ansari (Art), Syed Farooq Qaiser (Art) and Sultana Siddiqui (Art) received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Maulana Tariq Jameel (Religious Scholar), Muhammad Ali Shehki (Singing), Resham (Acting), Humayun Saeed (Acting) and Ali Zafar (Singing) were conferred the President’s Award for Pride of Performance. Meanwhile, Zaiba Shehaz (Acting) and Faisal Edhi (Public Service) were awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.  

    Check out the list of celebrities who were honoured at Pakistan Day:

    Bushra Ansari and Sultana Siddiqui (Sitara-e-Imtiaz)

    Imran Quershi (Sitara-e-Imtiaz)

    Abida Parveen (Nishan-e-Imtiaz)
    Resham (Pride of Performance)

    “Allah has turned my dream into a reality,” wrote Resham along side a picture of her with the medal.

    Humayun Saeed Khan (Pride of Performance)

    Ali Zafar (Pride of Performance)

    Sakina Samo (Pride of Performance)

    Maulana Tariq Jameel (Pride of Performance)

  • ‘An unparalleled humanitarian’: Bilquis Edhi declared ‘Person of the Decade’

    Bilquis Eidi has been selected as the Person of the Decade by an international web based organisation ‘Impact Hallmarks’.

    As per details, the finalists were shortlisted out of over 1.6 million notables with diverse backgrounds and from over 190 countries. According to the organisation’s website, the finalists were then presented to the global audience to pick out the person of their choice by voting.

    In a statement, the organisation said: “As per the domino effect verdict, concerning the IH international opinion poll outcomes, Stephen Soldz, an upright ethicist and moralist from the US, Ms Bilquis Edhi, an unparalleled noted humanitarian from Pakistan and Prof Yanghee Lee, the fabled unsurpassed human rights rapporteur of the UN, have evidently stretched and segmented the top of the decade’s impact hallmarks and the opinion poll’s top ‘tri-archy’ as well.”

    Bilquis Bano Edhi is a professional nurse, who heads the Bilquis Edhi Foundation. She has spent more than six decades of her life serving humanity in need. Her charity has saved over 42,000 unwanted babies so far by placing ‘jhoolas’ [cradles] at the Edhi Homes and centres across the country.

    Called the Mother of Pakistan, Bilquis Edhi has already been given various national and foreign awards including Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the Lenin Peace Prize, Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice (2015), and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, she received along with her husband Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1986.

    Besides the three topmost ‘Persons of the Decade’, the verdict announcement called seven other persons “true patrons of change, the flag-bearers of righteousness and the domino effect architects of the Top-10 of the impact hierarchy of the decade,” which includes Prof. Aurangzeb Hafi from Pakistan.

  • Fishing boat rescues Faisal Edhi from capsized boat into Karachi’s Malir river

    Fishing boat rescues Faisal Edhi from capsized boat into Karachi’s Malir river

    Social Activist Faisal Edhi, the son of late Abdul Sattar Edhi was rescued by a fisherman after a boat carrying him and five others capsized into deep water during a rescue operation.

    According to reports, Edhi was going to rescue eight missing persons on the request of their families when the boat overturned. Edhi and Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) MPA Raja Azhar were on the same boat.

    All officials were rescued by a nearby fishing boat and Edhi and other vIctims were taken to the Ibrahim Haideri jetty.

    Recounting the experiences, Edhi said: “We were a total of six people and were wearing life jackets that helped us swim towards our boat. We held onto its rope and when we saw a fishing boat pass by, we called the fishermen for help.”

    “They rescued us,” shared the philanthropist.

    https://twitter.com/sheharyaralii/status/1298600014743252998?s=20

    Karachi experienced record torrential rains this year, wreaking havoc on the city’s infrastructure and drainage system. According to the Met Office, Tuesday’s rainfall broke a 90-year record with 345mm of rain recorded at Karachi’s PAF Faisal Base.

    Read more – Sindh Wildlife Department clarifies no crocodiles escaped from Mangho Pir shrine

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has declared an emergency across the province while roof-collapse, electrocution and drowning incidents make headlines.

    In Karachi, Malir, Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Saadi Town, Liaquatabad, Federal B Area, North Karachi, Surjani Town and North Nazimabad are some of the areas that are underwater after receiving heavy rainfall since Monday night.

    Power outages are also spelling misery for the people of the country’s largest city.

  • PM Imran to be tested for COVID-19

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will undergo the test for the new coronavirus after Edhi Foundation Chairperson Faisal Edhi, who had met the premier last week, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day.

    According to the PM’s focal person on coronavirus, Dr Faisal Sultan, the premier has been advised to get himself tested as a precautionary measure after Edhi tested positive days after meeting him to donate Rs10 million to the government’s virus relief fund.

    Edhi is in Islamabad at the moment and had insisted on being tested since he had been on the ground working with patients. His family will also undergo a test for the virus.

    Edhi had traveled to Lahore and then to Islamabad, where he had met the premier and donated a Rs10 million check on behalf of his organisation, Geo reported.

    According to his son Saad Edhi, everyone who had come in contact with him will be tested for the virus, while the social worker remains in isolation and constant contact with his doctor.

    Edhi says he had started experiencing severe headache and fever on April 16.

    Meanwhile, the host and crew of a TV show, where Edhi had made an appearance last week, has already taken the tests and advised to stay at home till results arrive.

    ‘PAKISTAN AN INDEPENDENT NATION, CAN’T STOP WORSHIPPERS’:

    Separately, the premier said the government “will take action” if safety precautions agreed upon by ulema were not followed. 

    He said that Pakistan was an “independent nation” and it could not force worshippers to not pray in mosques. 

    “The war for coronavirus is being fought by the entire country. It will not differentiate between the rich and the poor. It can happen to anyone,” he said, adding that ulema had signed a 20-point agreement with President Arif Alvi, under which mosques will be reopened with special measures in place. He, however, urged people to pray at home. 

    “I would urge my Pakistanis to stay at home and pray,” he said. “Other Muslim countries have urged their citizens to do the same. But if you have to go to mosques, keep this in mind. You will have to obey these conditions,” he added.

    The premier said if people did not follow the safety precautions and cases surged in mosques during Ramzan, the government will have no other option but to take back its decision. “The government will shut mosques if safety precautions are not followed and this was mentioned in the agreement.”

  • Faisal Edhi, who met PM last week, tests positive for coronavirus

    Son of the late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and incumbent head of the Edhi Foundation, Faisal Edhi, who met Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan at the latter’s office last week, has tested positive for coronavirus, raising concerns over the health of the premier who could have contracted the virus.

    Edhi met Imran on April 15 to donate Rs10 million to the PM’s COVID-19 Relief Fund on behalf of his organisation, and a picture of the meeting had also gone viral over the internet.

    According to reports, he is in Islamabad at the moment and was tested after insisting the same, considering that he has been working in the field. His family and most people he interacted with within the past two weeks, including PM Imran, are also likely to be tested.

    His son Saad Edhi has said that his father started suffering from symptoms last week, soon after meeting the PM.

    “He is doing good and is practising self-isolation without being admitted to any hospital.”

    Earlier, Edhi had trashed criticism surrounding his donation to the government, saying the organisation could not “operate without the government’s help — be it federal or provincial”.

    In a video message shared with Independent Urdu, he had said, “I am glad that we [Edhi foundation] are working with the government.”

    READ: ‘PM didn’t recognise me,’ says Faisal Edhi, who met Imran to donate Rs1 crore

    “Edhi foundation has been working with governments since day one after the emergence of coronavirus [in the country]” he had said, adding that people would suffer if all stakeholders, at this time, did not unite to work together.

  • VIDEO: ‘PM didn’t recognise me,’ says Faisal Edhi, who met Imran to donate Rs1 crore

    Son of the late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and incumbent head of the Edhi Foundation, Faisal Edhi, has said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan didn’t recognise him when they met in Islamabad earlier this week, as the former donated Rs10 million (1 crore) to the premier’s coronavirus relief fund.

    “Initially, he didn’t recognise me,” Edhi told anchorperson Nadeem Malik on his show on Thursday night.

    He said the PM didn’t even talk to him for six or seven minutes — until one of the two industrialists sitting with PM Imran, one of whose father’s body was bathed [ghusl] by Abdul Sattar Edhi in New York, recognised him.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/nadeemmalik/status/1250829957691047937

    “He told the premier that I was [Abdul Sattar] Edhi Sahab’s son, after which PM Imran recognised me,” Edhi said.

    “We had a half-minute talk at the door of his office,” the Edhi Foundation head said, adding that he told the premier how he wanted to establish a university in the name of his father.

    PM Imran had announced the establishment of corona relief fund on March 27 in order to to provide relief to the people amid coronavirus crisis.

    The premier had emphasised on providing relief to the neglected segments of the society and urged the people to help those in need. He had added that the federal government was mapping deserved persons to directly provide them financial assistance.

  • Edhi Foundation wants to evacuate Pakistani students from China

    On the request of Pakistani students stranded in Wuhan, the Abdul Sattar Edhi Foundation had decided to evacuate them by arranging chartered flights.

    The Edhi Foundation on Sunday wrote a letter to Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi asking for permission to evacuate students from China’s city of Wuhan.

    In the letter, Faisal Edhi, managing trustee of the foundation formally requested the foreign minister to grant them permission to evacuate Pakistani students that have been trapped in Wuhan of Hubei province of China.

    “The Pakistani students are in our contact and we want to evacuate them from China,” Edhi wrote in the letter.

    The letter states that coronavirus has been spreading fast and Pakistani students are suffering from stress and facing a serious food shortage.

    “Most of the Pakistani students are not infected and we can save them,” said the letter.

    The letter highlights that many countries such as America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and India have already evacuated their citizens from Wuhan and are taking precautionary measures on their own.

    He not only asked the government for permission but also asked to assist in identifying the areas where students will be quarantined until they are tested and cleared.

    Once the government grants them permission, the Edhi Foundation will contact airlines and arrange chartered flights to evacuate the students at the earliest, elaborated Faisal Edhi.