Abdul Sattar Edhi: ‘The greatest thing Islam teaches is humanity’

My Interview with Edhi

I first traveled to Pakistan to interview Edhi in March 2009. When I arrived in Karachi, I called Anwer Kazmi, Edhi’s right hand man for 40 years, to ask the address of the center; he said just tell the driver “Edhi” and he’ll know where to bring you. Everyone in Pakistan knows Edhi. I was dropped off at a dilapidated, small, corner, white-washed ground floor office buzzing with activity. Several ambulances were parked outside. I immediately noticed the cradle in front, with the words “Do Not Kill.” There is a cradle outside each of the Edhi centers where people can drop off babies that they cannot take care of. Hundreds of babies, mostly girls, are left in these cradles each year; they’re cared for in Edhi orphanages.

A few men were standing behind a wooden counter fielding phone calls; others sat behind donated desks signing off on bills, ordering medicines, or taking donations. Anwer Kazmi was at the center desk, feet on his chair, arms crossed and tucked across his chest, chewing beetlenut, and talking to a reporter. He ordered chai, and we talked about the monumental work that the Edhi Foundation does every day — 800 people are fed at the free soup kitchen in Karachi; 8,500 rotis are cooked daily; 25,000 people are fed at the various centers; 6,000 calls are received for the ambulance service each day. “This is the work of one man,” said Kazmi. “He motivated the people by his commitment, by his vision.”

Edhi was in Islamabad the day I arrived; it was the day of the ‘long march’ of the lawyers’ movement from Lahore to Islamabad; he went to ask for calm, but feared there might be commotion. He returned to Karachi the next day and I was able to interview him then.

“The greatest thing Islam teaches is insanyat (humanity),” Edhi told me. “At the basis of all religions is humanity.”

The more I spoke with him, the more I learned about the simplicity of life.