The Greatest Humanitarian of this Era, Abdul Sattar Edhi Passed Away

Abdul Sattar Edhi

Born
1 January 1928
Bantva, Gujarat, India

Died
8 July 2016 (aged 88)
Karachi, Pakistan

Cause of death
Kidney Failure

Resting place
Edhi Village

Nationality
Pakistani

Ethnicity
Bantva Memon

Known for Social Work & Simple lifestyle

Spouse
Bilquis Edhi

Parents
Abdul Shakoor Edhi (father)
Ghurba Edhi (mother)

Early Life
Edhi was born in 1928 in Bantva in the Gujarat, British India.

When he was eleven, his mother became paralysed from a stroke and she later died when Edhi was 19.

His personal experiences and care for his mother during her illness, caused him to develop a system of services for old, mentally ill and challenged people.

The partition of India led Edhi and his family to migrate to Pakistan in 1947.

He then shifted to Karachi to work in a market at a wholesale shop.

His mother would give him 1 paisa for his daily eat and another to give to a beggar.

He initially started as a peddler, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi.

After a few years, he established a free dispensary with the help from his community.

He later established a welfare trust, "Edhi Trust".

Abdul Sattar Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary.

The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons.

Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarters in Karachi and organizes the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned babies.

Awards
International awards
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service (1986)

Lenin Peace Prize (1988)

Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International Foundation, (1993)

Peace Prize from (former USSR ) for services in the Armenian earthquake disaster, (1998)

Largest Voluntary Ambulance Organization of the World – Guinness Book of World Records (2000)

Hamdan Award for volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services (2000) UAE

International Balzan Prize (2000) for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood, Italy

Peace and Harmony Award (Delhi), 2001
Peace Award (Mumbai), 2004

Peace Award (Hyderabad Deccan), 2005

Wolf of Bhogio Peace Award (Italy), 2005

Gandhi Peace Award (Delhi), 2007

Peace Award, Seoul, (South Korea), 2008

Honorary Doctorate degree from the Institute of Business Administration Karachi (2006).

UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize (2009)

Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize (2010)

National awards

Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan, (1962–1987)

Moiz ur rehman award, Pakistan, (2015)

The Social Worker of Sub-Continent by Government of Sindh, Pakistan, (1989)

Nishan-e-Imtiaz, civil decoration from the Government of Pakistan (1989)

Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the 1980's by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan (1989)

Pakistan Civic Award from the Pakistan Civic Society (1992)

Shield of Honor by Pakistan Army (E&C)

Khidmat Award by the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences

Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society

Features and Gaps of the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2015

The following are some of the features and gaps of the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2015:-

Features:

- It is a law to protect women against violence
- It is provincial legislation applicable in the province of Punjab
- It specifically emphasizes on Domestic Violence against women
- District Women Protection Committees are formed under the Act
- It gives more strength to existing Family Courts in the Province of Punjab
- It creates new job opportunities. There will be District Women Protection Officers hired in all districts of Punjab
- Violence against women centers and shelter homes can be established under the law
- Complaints can be filed in the family courts under this law
- The jurisdiction for filing complaints is wide and made for the convenience of aggrieved persons under the law
- This law emphasizes on speedy justice. It gives only 7 days to the defendant to receive notice and file reply
- The complaint filed under this Act has to be decided within 90 days
- According to Section 5 the aggrieved person can not be forcefully evicted from the house where she resides at the time of offense
- According to section 6 the court is empowered to issue interim orders during pendency of complaint merely on the basis of affidavit of complainant
- According to section 7 the court is empowered to issue protection orders
- The court is empowered to pass monetary order which is already a remedy available under section 17-A of the Family Courts Act 1964

Gaps:

- It seems like a Statute made by laymen having no legal expertise of legal drafting as this enactment has many substantial as well as procedural law flaws
- There is no date of commencement specified in the statute
- In the definition of aggrieved person, only women are included. Even if its a pro-women legislation, it should make females of all ages the aggrieved persons
- The qualifications and hiring procedure of District Women Protection Officers is not mentioned in the Act
- Even parents are not allowed to punish their disobedient daughters under the law
- Procedure for Establishment of Women Centers and shelter homes is not made part of law
- Defendant has to file reply in the court on his first appearance. In case of any frivolous case in which notices are not served properly, the defendant has no time to defend himself.
- Further it grants the court total time of 90 days to decide the complaint. However, it doesn't lay down the procedure to be adopted for trial in these 90 days.
- Section 5 is controversial as the words "Beneficial Interests" can have multiple interpretations
- According to Section 6 it is not clear what interim orders exactly the court is empowered to pass
- Some of the protection orders which can be passed under section 7 are against the Fundamental Rights of citizens
- There is no need of section 9 as the Family Judge is already empowered to pass maintenance orders

Suggestions:

-  Some of the definitions shall be amended
- Complete procedure of complaint shall be made part of law
- If the aggrieved person lives in the house owned by defendant, she shall be evicted and sent to shelter home under the protection of court
- Reconciliation proceedings shall be made part of procedure at pre-trial stage


Regards,
Salman Yousaf Khan (Golra)
Advocate High Court
Ex-Candidate MNA
+92-333-5339880