
KARACHI:
Faisal Edhi has yet again re-established his philanthropist stature as the torch bearer of his legendary father, Abdul Sattar Edhi, by making a magnanimous gesture of offering assistance to India, as the country confronts the raging pandemic. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he sympathised with India’s current condition and offered help during in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with services consisting of emergency medical technicians, office staff, drivers and other support staff.
To ensure no inconvenience to the exhausted government, Faisal Edhi has personally offered to lead and manage the Edhi team by arranging fuel, food and all other required amenities. Permission to enter India is now awaited along with guidelines for deployment of these teams in critical areas to help the government in managing the humanitarian crises. Currently, India is terribly struggling with the coronavirus pandemic. Local media outlets show heart wrenching scenes of patients barely being able to breathe. Thousands are queuing on stretchers outside hospitals running on full capacity, waiting to be treated. According to reports, many have died outside. The grim situation indicates a total collapse of the country’s healthcare system.
It is heartening to see that Pakistan has set aside all hostilities towards its neighbour by offering them relief and support in the form of ventilators, Bi PAP machines, digital X ray machines, PPEs and other related items as a gesture of solidarity. We, as a nation, are proud of heroes like Faisal Edhi who continues to carry on with his father’s legacy. Such people show the true humanitarian side of Pakistan.
Salma Tahir
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2021.
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