KARACHI: Abdul Sattar Edhi died today (8th of July) three years ago. In 2017 SBP had issued a 13.5-gram copper-nickel coin of Rs. 50 denomination terming Edhi’s life as ‘An Era of Humanity’.

In an unveiling ceremony SBP Governor informed that the country had so far issued only five commemorative coins honoring personalities: i) Jinnah; ii) Iqbal; iii) Fatima Jinnah; iv) Benazir and iv) Edhi (the only social entrepreneur for whom the Pakistan Mint has gone into action).

Out of the 27 coins that have so far been issued three were minted on the occasion of Islamia and Peshawar Colleges anniversaries. Cynics thank God that those who shamelessly manipulate the right strings to get medals and the plots that come in tandem and the restless souls of the martyred brigade have not yet invaded the mint.

Yet they went haywire learning about the limited number of coins issued to honor personalities. They ask why not scientists, sportsmen and others have been honored in this way. Maybe because the only Nobel Prize laureate scientist Pakistan has ever produced was an Ahmadi. 

Savants, who know how the people’s money meant for building hospitals and serve the populace is usurped by few at the helm of affairs, wonder is it the state that is supposed to cater to the needs of millions or is it up to some individuals to gather chanda to run ramshackle ambulances?

When the state, instead of delivering, depends on chanda-financed philanthropic organizations, than many pseudo-NGOs mint billions under the garb of Messiahs. 

The naive and blind qaum could not see (while their parents are dying due to lack of medical facilities, their children are suffering from Hepatitis and other ailments because the state usurp their money), the so-called leaders are running to and fro the UK, USA and EU to get themselves checked using the national exchequer’s kitty.