Edhi one of world's great humanitarians: US

WASHINGTON: The US has condoled the death legendary Pakistani philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, describing him as one of the world's great humanitarians.

"Edhi led a life dedicated to serving others, and his determination to provide equal treatment for all regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or class stands as a sharp rebuke to those who would use fear and violence to create divisions," Ned Price, spokesman of the National Security Council, the White House said in a statement.

Offering condolences to Edhi's wife Bilquis, his four children and "millions of people around the world whose lives he touched", Price said the philanthropist was one of the world's great humanitarians and people of Pakistan have lost a heroic servant of humanity.

Edhi, who had dedicated his life to humanity and serving the poor, passed away at the age of 92 on Friday night in Pakistan after a prolonged battle with renal failure.


Picture: AP

He was accorded a state funeral with tens of thousands of people including Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and army chief General Raheel Sharif attending his funeral.

Nominated several times for the Nobel peace prize, including this year, Edhi had won a host of international awards in recognition of his work.