Perhaps, I met Mr. Ijaz Ahmed Khan once or twice in my life. It was enough to change my life…
Category: Personality
Imran Khan, our new Prime Minister
Here is a genuine man at last, wishing him all the success.
He truly looked like a Greek god, back in 1980 when I saw him for the first time, in the cricket field, next to Rawalpindi Club. He stood nearby, while fielding. I could see him clearly, as my friend Samia and I were sitting right next to the Pavilion. He looked even more good-looking in real life. In those days, he used to get his muscles pulled, due to his game. It was an international match with the West Indies. The match was won, due to many sixes scored by him the next day.
Happy Birthday Abbas Husain
Wishing for you all the best in life.
Today, it is your birthday. – I won’t say how old you are – as at this phase in life, ‘age just becomes a number.’ And we both have reached that age in life! – I’m just amazed at how many milestones you have attained within these years.
Just a cursory look at what Wikipedia has to say about you, gives one an idea of what you are all about. I’m flattered to realize that you have always given time to any of my requests to speak to my dear friends here in Islamabad. (Just want them to have the few moments of enrichment that one feels whenever you speak.) I’ve watched you talk on a one-on-one or a one-on-five-hundred-persons sessions – both are the same!
Each one of your audience feels that you are talking to him/her only – and with all your sincerity. It doesn’t come difficult to you, as you truly are that. I’ve known you to share a washroom with your staff in your Teacher’s Development Center in Karachi. I’ve seen you eat with your staff too! I’ve seen you treat every member of your staff or friends or family like they are important to you. – Which is something new to this Pakistani culture. This is why when you say something one listens, because you truly do ‘walk your talk!’
I say ‘Sir’ to you, because you are my teacher, my guide, and a friend whom I have deep regard for. I pray that you may have a long, healthy, happy life, full of more fulfillment of your dreams and aspirations. I pray that you may continue having the happy family life with your wonderful wife and three talented children.
Abbas Husain, you were already a well-known personality before I met you for the first time, when I heard you speak in 1997 in Karachi. The lecture at PAF’s prestigious Air War College, was on ‘last twelve Surahs of the Holy Quran’. By now, you are literally known for your talk on this topic. I’ve also seen you refine the same lecture every time I’ve heard you on the topic. That is what I like the constant growth and development that you demonstrate in whatever you do. Which is the sign of a great teacher! You have a knack of making the ordinary into the extraordinary! (I mean, how much more can you know about verses which one has been reading again and again since childhood?) But when you put them together, a whole new dimension emerges from each one. You just go on connecting them together as they’ve never been connected before! So, well, it was then I found out you have initiated the first Teacher’s Development Center. Being a teacher myself, I realized how valuable such an establishment was.
It was the first of its kind.
My husband was posted to Islamabad in 1998. Some years later in 2005 I went to Karachi from Islamabad, giving up my teaching job, only to attend the Master Teacher’s Course. At MTC, I was a part of the MTC 8th batch. – That was a memorable hundred hours of intense training at your center. It is a one-month course. A time which was at once enriching and fulfilling. That is when, I had gone with a sprained ankle, and I was the only student who got an extra chair to place my injured foot on. We were the batch who sang in the break times and had a lot of fun too. I had gone there, a stranger, and found many friends, who even gave me an amazing birthday party. (I know you must have been behind it) During lectures, that morning, I knew something else was taking place in the TDC, but couldn’t imagine what. How could I know, you all would be busy trying to give me a surprise birthday party. When we went for the break, I found the room fully decorated – all for me. The rest of the class also joined up to give me gifts and it was real fun.
The girls (!) were encouraged to do aerobics for ten to fifteen minutes daily, during the breaks. Privacy was given to us all, the men were asked to leave the class room. One felt better, as the intense classes were daily 9.00 – 5.00 pm. I’d stay even later, as I’d gone all the way for this. It was my desire to learn as much as was possible. Sir would share his books with me, and talk about the many international writers he knew, including Gai Eaton Islam and the Destiny of Man. Martin Lings Muhammad and several others.
The personal library is available to all students and of course it is also a treasure house. I would love spending a lot of time there, specially enjoying the fact that I could borrow from here too.
We would often discuss writers, whom I’d never discussed with anyone, as only you had read them. Of course, you are a mine of information, and this keeps increasing as you get new books all the time.
Why wouldn’t it increase? You go all the way to South Africa to meet your own mentor who is a Dutchman. You gain your deep insight and have so many sources of your own knowledge. So, it was a pleasure when last month you delivered a beautiful talk on how to be anchored in a time of turbulence:
This is probably the best part of meeting you. Every time, there is so much more to learn from you. You have scholars as mentors in Pakistan also, especially in Karachi. Yet, your sense of humor is ever present. The jokes keep happening and coming in-between the serious stuff.
Back in June 2005, our whole batch was taken to Marriot for three days to attend a three-day seminar on Education, which was attended by world-wide educationists and was chaired by the legendary Anita Ghulam Ali. There were people coming from the US of A, as well as from India. Interestingly, the Indian educationists and ours found lots in common and found a great deal to exchange. As it was interactive, so the sessions were well attended. It was my first encounter with the world of educationists in an international forum.
By now, The TDC has taught over 30,000 teachers. – Whereas you have personally taught over 55000 teachers. To date there have been 17 MTC courses teaching 472 educationists. Lately, due to Ramzan dates falling in summer vacations (the time when the course takes place, ) there was a break. Luckily these began again from last July. This years’ MTC is to begin on June 25th and shall end on July 19th 2018.
It was a brochure for the course which I had seen on my principal’s desk, when I took the course. It was so exciting for me. Learning has its own euphoric moments which are rather unmatched by anything else. It is truly a eureka moment. A good teacher is one who is also learning, so she or he can realize, how difficult learning is, first hand. So, that there is more understanding with the students.
It is hoped that such courses are begun in Lahore and Islamabad also. The good thing is that teachers all over the country now benefit from this institution through their online courses for teachers. This information is available at the TDC Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/TeachersDevelopmentCentre/
Abbas Husain, you are the advisor for many organizations like HEC, Roots School System, The City School, Beacon House, as well as many more. Your spiritual sessions and your audio tapes and information are available to all.
This is a good opportunity for me to thank you for always being there for me, with your timely advice. Your knowledge is so wide-ranged, it is a pleasure talking to you. One always learns. Stay blessed, as you truly bless us all with your presence and your attention. Happy birthday Abbas Husain, my teacher and friend.
Secrets of success of Shahida Azeem’s life.
The art of living well till the eighty – eighth year of your life.
When sad, I can’t sit still. I wrote on her in Shahida Azeem, my mentor and friend. Still I was sad, so I wrote about the sadness and how I tried to cope in Dealing with sadness. So this time, I’ve written a list of things I’ve observed in Shahida Apa, which I believe are the secrets of her success . Mrs. Nasreen Haq Nawaz her family friend mentioned that Shahida Azeem has been like this even when she was thirty years younger!
After her passing away, I found out Shahida Apa was eighty eight years old. She walked straight and with grace and showed me how it is possible to live at this age. Here are a few photographs I took during one of my visits to her place. I wish I had taken some videos of hers too.
Whenever I’d mention her to anyone, the first question they’d ask me, ‘what is her age?’ I’d look blankly, surprised.
‘What has age got to do with her?’ I’d think.
Continue reading “Secrets of success of Shahida Azeem’s life.”
Shahida Azeem, my mentor and friend.
Owner of Mashal – a school for underprivileged children.
Isn’t God Great? I mean, I’ve found this in life, whenever you are deeply sad, there are many pleasant things happening too. It is God, trying to cheer you up. He is telling you, ‘things aren’t so bad after all. You can make it. You are strong. This is a great world I’ve made for you.’ In Surah Al Nashra, He says, ‘with every hardship there is ease.’ There certainly is. For instance, I felt so happy that I’ve known such a great personality all these years. Even now, I’m blessed with having her in my neighborhood.
So, just remember that where sad things do happen but so do the happy ones. We both have deep love for each other, and I have great regard also. It is a kinship. It is finding ways to live in a world without one’s husband in it. To make the best of life, anyway. She is an amazing person. Shahida Apa is the wife of General Azeem (late), who was the Ambassador of Pakistan in USA during the eighties.
I met her by chance while walking near the mountains. Seeing this petite person walking ahead of me just made me want to talk to her. I went over and wished her. She turned to me smiling, and that was our first meeting, about eight years ago.
I found out that she is owner of the well-known organization called Mashal. It is a school for poor children and also has facilities for the children’s mothers. There are classes going on here for cooking, computers, knitting, stitching and a beauticeans course too. There is also a clinic. The idea is to help women of Margalla Town area, living in outskirts of Islamabad. The plan is to make them financially independent.
The One Who Loved Humanity
Something happened during our pilgrimage and Umra trip.
Want to sit with me in a time machine? Do you want to go to Makkah and Madina? Join us in 1987 when my husband and I went there from Kuwait by road. Today, I’m feeling very emotional. It is birthday of Muhammad (PBUH) and I’m remembering how much his life has affected mine. I’ve never met him, but the impact has been there. I guess that is why God decided to make him His last representative on earth.
My husband and I were on deputation to Kuwait. He was a Captain in Kuwaiti Air Force.
Adventurous as we were, we decided to go for pilgrimage on our own by road. Usually, people went with friends, for security, as it was a very long journey of thousands of kilometers. My husband and I had already been to Europe with our one-year-old daughter. So we packed our two little girls aged two years and ten-month-old Nataliya and five-month-old Nadiya, in the car and drove off.
Our trip was going well, in spite of some real adventures which are almost inevitable on road trips. I may share some with you later on, but today I’m telling you about this Umra trip, and what happened afterwards. So, we first performed our Umra in Makkah.
The banker’s story:
As the interview for my last blog post on ‘Let Us Get Financial Acumen’ progressed, I was deeply touched by the story of struggles and hardships that came through. I felt like sharing it with you.
It is also a story worth reading for those young men and girls who have foreign degrees and expect a golden plate to be offered the moment they set foot in their homeland. It’s a story of tenacity and determination.
Once upon a time there was a young man named Umer Malik, he lived in Islamabad and had got his admission in a university in USA, but because he had visa issues, he decided to take a degree of BBA Hnrs. in Banking and Finance from the American University in Dubai in 2003-2004. While he was studying here in Pakistan, he had also gained IT experience from Informatics and interned in ABN Amro. At the campus in Dubai, Umer started working as a Librarian; he enjoyed working surrounded with books of his interest. After completing his studies, Umer returned due to his mother’s illness.
On return, he tried to join ABN Amro because he knew people there. He was disappointed to learn that there were no openings for him. He persisted and asked them to give him any work. “Fine, but it will be undocumented, unpaid and without any certificate at the end of it.” said his would-be employer.
Umer agreed to work on these uncompromising terms.
Three solid months followed, working at the entrance of ABN Amro bank in F-7 Islamabad, welcoming clients at the entrance of the bank. Standing daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for no pay or certificate!
Happy birthday Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Today is your birthday, I want to thank you for all you have done for me. I’m truly indebted to you for giving me this country of my own. A country where I belong, and which is mine. I know, that you and many others with you gave your tomorrows to give us our todays. It was your dream that coming generations should not have to live under suppression of any kind. Yes, you did make your dream come true. Now, it is up to us, to make the whole of that dream come true.
Continue reading “Happy birthday Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah”
My Mentor and My Ideal: My Father.
I had to share my thoughts with you now, when I found out that you are unwell and I was missing you so much.
You have always been such a central part of my life. I don’t like knowing you are lying in hospital now, and I’m here across the world from you. I’m a little comforted to know you are getting better now, but I can’t tell you how helpless I’ve felt knowing I can’t be with you. It was good to know Waliya was handling things so well. Also my uncle Jafar and cousin Hasan there too. Nadiya has also joined in from Lahore, so I’m content, you are in good hands.
Alhamdolillah, you are better, and back from hospital after three days. I want to share my feelings. You know, as a child, I was a little scared of you. Though, you were always loving, yet you had a temper to contend with – one can see traces of it even now. Well, one had to have that temper, as you stood alone by your principles and standards among so many who didn’t.You don’t suffer fools gladly. Yet you are one of the most loving persons I know.
Never compromising on your standards, you’ve looked towards Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and Hazrat Umar or Allama Iqbal for reference. You live by their principles. Last year, Brig Mumtaz came to meet us. He told me that he has seen you in the battlefield and you fought fearlessly. He told me, “Your father is the bravest person I’ve ever seen.” So, I know, you were a brave and courageous officer, as you fought in 1965 and the 1971 wars. Those who were near you watched you make tough decisions and you had the backing of your officers . You’ve been a great commander and officer of the army. No wonder you were the recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (M). Your experiences in 1965 were an example, and in Runn of Kutch where you fought, the land remained with Pakistan for the longest time – over six months. You were among the officers who took over the Monabao Railway station. Your 1971 battle fought in North of East Pakistan is already written, and I’ll be putting it up soon.
During martial law in 1969 (in Lahore) and later in 1977 (in Rawalpindi) you were given duties to deal with the civilian matters and you became very popular. Your sense of justice in dealing with matters became a yardstick for many. Once an officer came to meet my mother to tell her how honest you are. He told her how he witnessed a scene when a man came to you offering you the keys of a house, (in those days officers’ didn’t get houses after retirement) but you were furious with him, and turned him out of your office. This is why you were given the most challenging cases, and this is why you sometimes faced consequences also. However, nothing deterred you from your honest handling of affairs.
You were outstanding in sports, and worked with the legendary Brig Rodham, as a Captain in the army, in Rawalpindi. You were also a good athlete. Later, as DG Punjab Sports Board, you took the sportsmen and sportsgirls of Punjab to unprecedented heights. You introduced men like Sultan Golden to the arena, and he was able to break records.
You retired, after serving more than three decades of service in the army, you spent the next three decades being in contact with your regiments and brigades. You were selected to be the Col of 16 FF, 33 FF and 8 FF for many years, till you yourself made way for others. You are loved and admired by the officers of the army even today. This year the 8 FF regiment celebrated your eighty ninth birthday and asked you to cut the cake.
Till quite recently, you were driving your white Toyota Altis 2014 model. You made sure the number plate was made up of numbers of your two favorite regiments: 8 and 16! Driving has been one of your passions. You always drove very fast, and very few had the heart to sit next to you in the passenger seat without cringing at your high speeds! Your knowledge of the mechanism of the car has been great. Your dear friend Brig Jawad was the one who inspired you to do all the ‘mechanical’ work yourself. Many times I’ve seen you and my husband busy with car maintenance.
Born on March 2nd, 1927 in Surag you were the eldest son of Major Malik Muzaffar Khan Gheba, and the grandson of Malik Gulsher Khan Gheba. Your grand-father received the title of ‘Shah Sawaar-e-Hind’, due to his outstanding horsemanship. Naturally, you were an expert equestrian and enjoyed the sports of tent pegging and horse riding. Your grandfather was the one who had performed in front of King George the V on his Coronation celebrations in Delhi. He was given the spotlight and was seen by everyone as climbing a stairway to a great height. He was later invited to London also.
As the eldest of eight siblings you have three sisters after you, then four brothers. Here is 
a picture of Sargodha where you spent a large part of your childhood with your siblings. I invited all of those ones living in Pakistan in 2001 to come and revisit you all’s childhood places. It was a memorable occasion.
You were a very good marksman and wrote a book on pistol shooting. You were the recipient of the silver bullet more than once, which is the highest award for a pistol shooter. During the 1965 war, you managed to hunt over 67 bucks. However, you gave up this sport as you realized how cruel it is for the animals and birds. Now, your favorite past time is to watch the Animal Planet.
What I love most about you is the fact that one knows exactly where one stands with you. You only say what you mean. You are not afraid about what others might think. Your own mind is clear and you make it clear to others also. It really feels good. Perhaps, because I not only am used to it, but admire it too. It is not easy to be like that in our society. Now, you are all grown up so no one will object to whatever you say, but I know as a young man too, you were always straight forward and true to your word.
Your love is unconditional. Perhaps it is this quality of yours which impressed my mother who married you and gave up everything for you. She left those whom she loved, for you. She found you worthy of her love and devotion. You too, always said “She has given up so much for me, this is why I must do everything to make her happy and not regret her decision.” You have supported her in her decision to not give up her own religion. In Islam, no one is to be forced to change their religion and a Muslim is free to marry a person belonging to the Books. She didn’t do purdah like the other women of her times, and you supported her in this also. You took her with you wherever you went, just as Quaid-e-Azam took his sister with him wherever he went. When my mother converted later on it was only by her own conviction.
As a father, you were happy and satisfied with your one daughter, in a society like ours. When you lost your son, born after me, you said that your wife is not to suffer again. You told me that I’m equal to seven sons for you. Now-a-days you say “You are equal to a hundred sons for me!” Naturally, your saying such words mean the world to me. This is why, during my hard times I looked at you and my mother as my role models. I’d always seen how you both have had complete faith in Allah’s support and were never shaken by circumstances. Patience is yours and my mother’s greatest virtue.
When I fell on bad times, everyone was after me to shift in with you. There was a portion of your house which was for me. Yet, when I asked you, “What should I do?” Your answer was straight: “Do what your heart tells you to do.” That is exactly what I did, with your blessings!
You never push your opinion on anyone. Yet, you give all your support and blessings. This is a rare quality.
Always a generous person, you’ve given more than what you could afford. Yet, while earning you have always been careful to make sure it is only with your own hard earned and halal earnings. My whole life, we had enough to get by, but it wasn’t an extravagant life.
When my cook Abdul Rahim was facing financial hardships, it was your generosity which finally helped him in getting the house which he wanted, but couldn’t afford. His wife had died, just dreaming of a home of her own, and you knew that he was a very committed and honest man who had always worked hard. In the same way you have helped anyone who has asked you. You also got a house for the Christian maid who worked for you. Many times you have helped in building a roof, wall or room whenever they had a problem. You’ve often financed your staff for their weddings or illnesses.
This is the secret of your good health. Once I was reading that those persons who give the most charity are the ones who have the best health in later years of life. You have proved this. Another thing I really admire about you is the fact that you don’t take your health issues lightly. Even a slight indication means that you will drop everything and go to the specialist.
You love entertaining and meeting friends and relatives, and you make a point of always welcoming them and seeing them off yourself. Whenever I went to visit you, you were always there, waiting at the gate to receive me. Now, as many of your friends have left this world, you are close to their sons and daughters also.
Your love for your grandchildren is great. When the first one came, you called her your ‘Princess’ and treated her like one. No matter how tired you were from your day at the office, you would play with Nataliya, sitting on the ground, going along with her make-believe games. It was the same with Nadiya and Waliya. Now, with your illness in my absence, Waliya has taken care of you. Previously, you called her ‘Chief’. Now, you say she is number one. Naturally, your grandkids too are crazy about you. Nadiya also came from Lahore, and shared the caring of both the grandparents, in my absence. By the same token you really care for Bilal and Haaris both my sons-in-law and their respective families.
Your sense of humor and your laughter is something I’ve always cherished. Your keen eye always enjoys the humor in most situations.
I love and admire you today more than ever before. You are a great human being and one who is cherished, admired and loved by not only myself but all those who come in contact with you, in any capacity. May Allah bless you with a healthy long life and with all the happiness on earth. Ameen.
Stay blessed my dear reader, enjoy and cherish these priceless relationships that we sometimes take for granted. 🙂
Abdul Sattar Edhi has departed our world.
![Edhi[1]](https://i1.wp.com/shireengheba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/edhi1.jpg?w=453&h=340&ssl=1 "Edhi[1]")
![edhi-11[1]](https://i2.wp.com/shireengheba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/edhi-111.gif?w=299&h=168&ssl=1 "edhi-11[1]")
![edhi-13[1]](https://i2.wp.com/shireengheba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/edhi-131.gif?w=299&h=168&ssl=1 "edhi-13[1]")
![Md1Xfgx7[1]](https://i1.wp.com/shireengheba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/md1xfgx71.jpg?w=756&h=756&crop=1&ssl=1 "Md1Xfgx7[1]")
(Spirit of Edhi lives on in each Pakistani from now onwards…)
Ever since I heard of Abdul Sattar Edhi’s passing away last night, I couldn’t sleep. In the morning, I didn’t feel like getting up and stepping into a world without Edhi in it. – Just watched his ‘namaz-e-janaza’ in National Stadium, Karachi, on television. It was held in front of a huge crowd with General Raheel, Shahbaz Sharif, Governors and whoever, was anyone was there. Specially, there was Faisal Edhi, son of the great man.
Every person was sad, everyone had such deep respect and regard for Edhi.
Why does every Pakistani respect him? Because they know, like Quaid-e-Azam, he was sincere and true. (I can’t believe I’m using ‘was’ for him!) If he said something, he meant it. He didn’t care about anything other than humanity itself. He never bothered about what others would think about him. He genuinely didn’t care. All he cared about was to reduce and remove pain from the hearts of those persons who are poor and have no one to turn to. – Edhi was there for them.
There was a well-known organization that offered him a huge amount of donation. They asked him to come to be photographed in their office also. When he heard this, he said “I’m not coming, to be photographed.” I don’t need the donation! He would stand on roads and people would themselves come and donate for his Foundation. He believed that Pakistanis are the only ones from whom he would take these donations, and they have given with an open heart. I don’t believe there would be a single Pakistani, who hasn’t donated to Edhi. He had such a name, and so much trust of every citizen of this country.
If an unwanted child was born, Edhi was there for the child, ready to offer the child a home, a name, protection, education… everything a child could want. Bilquis, his wife offered her name as a mother to the un-named, unclaimed child.
The first time I heard about him was in 1985. My husband was in the Kuwait Air Force, and one day a Pakistani came over to our home, telling us about this gentleman from Karachi, who wears clothes which come off the bodies of the dead. He offers a home to the orphans, a place for poor people and even an old people’s home. That he has ambulances, and started out as a tiny dispensary.
Then there was this article in Reader’s Digest about this amazing Pakistani who was nothing short of an angel for the poor and destitute people of Pakistan. It was about how he worked, and how well he managed his Foundation even though he is basically an uneducated person.
Edhi is a name every Pakistani trusts, and donates all they can. On Eid-ul-Azha, the donation for sacrifice of goat, or portion in a cow can happily be given here. Outside, each Edhi center, throughout the lengths and breadth of Pakistan, there is the swing for unwanted infants.
Lately, in Islamabad, the kiosk of Edhi was removed due to CDA rules, so undeterred; they have parked an Edhi van there, so you can give your donation. When you give a donation, you are given a receipt and an envelope, the envelope is for you to post, so that it is going to inform the head office about your donation. (- This will ensure that no one misappropriates your donation).
Whenever a disaster strikes in the city, or abroad, Edhi volunteers are the first to reach. They are the most motivated and fearless. In a city like Karachi, where many people would avoid most the ‘dangerous’ areas, it was the Edhi staff who would be willing to go and help the injured and pick up the dead bodies. To provide a decent burial to the unknown dead bodies found in different places in that huge city.
“As kids, Bhabi, when we got injured while playing, we would run off to the Edhi dispensary. Here, we knew he would be there with his ointment, bandages and medications. We got all these for free. There would be a tin box lying in one corner, where we were to put any donation as ‘payment’. – Most of the times we didn’t give any, and ran away after treatment. Sometimes, we would put in some donation, if we had some pocket money with us.” This was mentioned by someone who later became an Air Force officer.
Edhi’s name and respect grew so much, that once he and his team had gone in a van to inner Sindh and were overtaken by ‘dakus’ or burglers. But when they recognized who he was, they took out whatever cash they had, and gave it to Edhi as their donation to his Foundation!
It was in 1997 when I visited the Edhi orphanage in Karachi, in Clifton, with over 300 orphans and about 25 special children in it. I was thinking I should take my children there so they know, how orphans live, and how privileged they are. How they should appreciate their parents and what they do for them. However, they couldn’t go due to school. After visiting the orphanage, I was glad my children couldn’t go. Otherwise, they would have seen how well the orphans were being taken care of!
The other officer’s wives and I had taken some donations, and I felt very small and humble when I saw the closets full of new clothes donated to them by shops and boutiques for the orphans. There were beautiful bridal dresses for the girls whom they get married, also.
The two orphanage buildings were very majestic homes which were donated to them by two big smugglers, who gave these to Edhi while fleeing the country. Mrs. Edhi was very grateful to these smugglers for providing such a grand home for their orphanage. The ceilings had handicraft work of mirror patterns, and floors were of finest quality green marble. The floors were shining and the entire building was spotlessly clean. The children were well dressed and well behaved. There was the aroma of delicious food being cooked in the huge kitchen.
I asked the smiling and pleasant Bilquis “Has it ever happened, that you didn’t have enough food for a meal?” (After all feeding 300 children three times a day won’t be a joke!) “Never!” she said. “In fact, many times we have donated to other organizations and institutions.” She was speaking in simple Urdu language. One could see the peace and satisfaction on her face. There were no airs or graces about her. She was a very simple and down to earth kind of person with a sense of humor. We were told that she was the only one who accepted Edhi’s proposal of marraige, after he had been refused by over 6-7 nurses! She has been devoted to his cause throughout her life. She was by his side right to the end.
Edhi embodies all that is the best in Pakistani people. He brought out the best not only in the philanthropists of Pakistan, but also in the burglars, crooks, mercenaries and thieves of Pakistan. This speaks volumes for the goodness that was in Edhi, and how infectious it was that it brought out the best in all those he met, wherever he went. His amazing skills of management of his organizations, his volunteers and his sincerity were his brand. And that is what everyone trusts.
As I end this blog, the burial of Abdul Sattar Edhi has been completed. I just want to believe that the spirit which was Edhis‘ shall certainly be in heaven very soon. Leaving us mortals with the essence of his being which was the empathy he felt for all humanity. Each Pakistani, I believe has a percentage of this spirit which belonged to him. Because, Edhi couldn’t have achieved anything had it not been for the generosity of so many Pakistanis, in and outside of Pakistan. The greatest beauty of this angel who lived among us all his life, was his love for humanity regardless of color, creed, religion or any bias. He loved all creations of God and Allah. I pray that may he rest in peace, knowing that the people of Pakistan will not forget all that he stood for. That he knows, that we all will carry on helping his son and wife and rest of family in the great cause that he stood for.
May each one of us, be an Edhi in the making.
Our work has begun….
