MIRPUR (AJK)/SIALKOT/HAFIZABAD-People here on Saturday mourned the demise of legendary social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi who died in Karachi Friday night after protracted illness, and paid him rich tributes for his services for humanity.
National flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir fluttered at half mast on all private and public buildings in the State’s capital Muzaffarabad as well as divisional headquarters of Mirpur and Rawalakot (Poonch) besides the other district and tehsil headquarters. AJK government had announced day-long mourning.
Various leaders of Azad Jammu & Kashmir including AJK President Sardar Yaqoob and Prime Minister Abdul Majeed, PML (N) AJK President and former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan and former speaker of AJK Legislative Assembly Shah Ghulam Qadir, Deputy Leader of Opposition in AJK Legislative Assembly Tariq Farooq and others termed the death of Abdul Sitar Edhi a great loss to the nation and the country.
In their separate messages of condolence to the bereaved family and the nation, the leaders said that not only Pakistan but also the ailing humanity the world over have lost a great social worker and a doctor who served millions of the sick persons for their rehabilitation in almost every hour of grief, accidents and emergency and the natural catastrophes across Pakistan, AJK and in various parts of the world as and when needed.
The AJK leaders prayed that may Allah Almighty may rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant fortitude to the bereaved family and the entire nation and the country to bear the huge loss with patience.
Meanwhile, a large number of people including elders representing diverse segments of the civil society in AJK Saturday visited the nearest local Edhi Centres at the district and tehsil headquarters and registered their messages of condolence for the departed soul.
They termed the death of Abdul Sitar Edhi, a great national loss, particularly to the sick humanity. The visitors prayed for the rest of the departed soul in heaven besides grant of courage to the bereaved family and the nation.
A large number of the people from all walks of life including women and children today participated in a candlelight vigil held at Sialkot by the local NGOs and local civil society organizations to pay rich tributes to the charity icon of Pakistan Abdul Sattar Edhi.
The participants paid rich tributes to Abdul Sattar Edhi for his meritorious and unmatched silent services to the ailing humanity. They also offered Fateha for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Meanwhile, the funeral prayers in absentia for world’s charity icon was held at Sialkot city’s congested Allama Iqbal Chowk. A large number of the people from all walks of life attended the funeral.
The death of Maulana Abdul SattarEdhi was condoled by almost all the social, political and religious workers in Hafizabad.
They paid glowing tributes to late Edhi for his meritorious services to the humanity which is unparalleled in the history.
At separate condolence meetings the participants offered fateh for the departed soul and prayed to Almighty Allah torest his soul in eternal peace. They also called upon the other social activists to follow suit.