Abdul Sattar Edhi accompanied by two volunteers during his walk for peace in Karachi on Wednesday. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD AZEEM/EXPRESS
The participants, led by Edhi whose wheelchair was being pushed by a staff member, walked from the Edhi Foundation’s head office in Mithadar to Numaish Chowrangi. After reaching the Quaid’s mausoleum, the participants walked back to Bolton market.
Edhi who spoke to the media on the occasion, said that he had come out on the streets to promote his cause for a peaceful Karachi. “Not only Karachi, but the entire country is burning because of terrorism and violence. When people leave their homes for work, they don’t even know if they’ll be able to come back alive,” said the activist at the rally which started at 9am and went on for an hour.
He blamed corruption and nonpayment of taxes for the destitute state of society, in which the poor were getting poorer. “On top of financial woes, the ongoing killings, kidnappings and bombings have further deteriorated the lives of the citizens in the city.”
Spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation, Anwar Kazmi, said that despite being over 85 years of age and having dialysis three times a week, Edhi had come out for the rally for peace and solidarity.
“We all believe that the situation in the city can improve if everyone is treated equally and there are no differences and divisions among people,” he said, adding that Edhi’s philosophy was to live and let others live. “It is unfortunate that people today are divided into sects and ethnicities which are causing these problems and leading the city to violence.”
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Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2014.
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I salute the efforts of Edhi in organising this peace rally.