KARACHI: Thousands of people, including high profile politicians and government officials, on Saturday gathered at the National Stadium to attend the funeral prayers of Abdul Sattar Edhi – Pakistan’s most celebrated humanitarian who passed away last night in Karachi.
Edhi’s funeral prayer was offered after Zuhr prayers; his body had been flown via helicopter to the Edhi village, where he will be laid to rest.
Strict security measures had been taken for the funeral, with Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif having arrived in Karachi to attend the ceremony, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Asim Bajwa said in a tweet.
#COAS Gen Raheel Sharif arrives Karachi to attend funeral ceremony of Abdus Sattar #Edhi Sahib
— Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) July 9, 2016
President Mamnoon Hussain, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, his Sindh counterpart Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Sindh Police Inspector General AD Khawaja, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah and Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar attended the funeral.
Edhi passed away at the age of 88 in Karachi on Friday night.
“He wished to be buried in the same clothes he used to wear. He also wanted to donate his body parts, but only his cornea can be donated as the rest of his organs were not in a healthy condition,” said Faisal Edhi.
Edhi was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2013 but had been unable to get a transplant due to feeble health. He was receiving treatment at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) at the time of his death.
