Abdul Sattar Edhi's grave is at the Edhi Village, his foundation's large shelter on the Super Highway (M-9) outside Karachi. He died on 8 July 2016, aged 88, and after a state funeral at the National Stadium he was buried the next day in a grave whose place he had chosen himself about 25 years earlier. The Edhi grave sits inside a working home for orphans, elderly people and people with mental illness, so a visit is a quiet act of respect, not a sightseeing stop.
This guide covers who Edhi was, where exactly he is buried, what the Edhi Village is, and how to visit without getting in the way of the people who live there.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Edhi Village, Super Highway (M-9), beyond Sohrab Goth, Karachi |
| Born | 28 February 1928, Bantva |
| Died | 8 July 2016, Karachi, aged 88 |
| Funeral | 9 July 2016, state funeral at the National Stadium, Karachi |
| Grave | At the Edhi Village, a spot he chose about 25 years before his death |
| Edhi Foundation emergency number | 115 |
| Visiting | A residential shelter; ask at the gate and follow staff instructions |
Who was Abdul Sattar Edhi?
Edhi was born on 28 February 1928 in Bantva, in Kathiawar, into a Memon family, and moved to Karachi after Partition. In 1951 he opened a free dispensary, and in 1957 his first welfare centre. From those beginnings grew the Edhi Foundation, which today runs ambulances, hospitals, shelters, children's homes, a food bank and graveyard services across the country.
His wife, Bilquis Edhi, a nurse he married in 1965, ran much of the work for women and children, including the jhoola cradles outside Edhi centres where a baby can be left safely and anonymously. The couple received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1986. The foundation has held the Guinness world record as the largest volunteer ambulance organisation since 1997.
Edhi was known for living simply, and the foundation runs on public donations and volunteers rather than government support.
Where is Edhi buried?
At the Edhi Village, on the Super Highway leading out of Karachi towards Hyderabad. Dawn has described the village as lying 54 km off Sohrab Goth on the Super Highway, so allow plenty of time for the drive from central Karachi. Arab News reported at the time of the funeral that Edhi had selected the place for his grave there 25 years earlier.
He had also asked to donate his organs. Because of his age, only his corneas could be used.
His wife is not buried with him. Bilquis Edhi died on 15 April 2022 and was buried the next day at the Mewa Shah graveyard in Karachi, beside her mother.
What happened at the funeral?
The government declared a state funeral and a day of national mourning. The funeral prayers were held at the National Stadium in Karachi on 9 July 2016, attended by President Mamnoon Hussain, army chief General Raheel Sharif and provincial governors, with a gun salute. His coffin, wrapped in the national flag and covered in rose petals, was carried on a military vehicle. More than 3,000 security and traffic police were deployed as the procession went out to the Edhi Village for the burial.
Wikipedia describes it as only the third state funeral in Pakistan's history. Pakistan Post later issued a stamp in his memory, and the State Bank minted a commemorative coin.
What is the Edhi Village?
It is one of the foundation's biggest shelters, not a memorial park. A 2010 NBC News report described it as a 65-acre complex in the hills beyond Karachi's northern settlements, home at the time to about 300 children and 900 adults, many of them elderly or living with mental illness. Dawn has written about families who leave relatives there and visit again only to collect the body for burial.
Numbers change over the years, and we could not find a recent official figure, but the point holds: people live here, many of them vulnerable, and they did not choose to be on show.
On Edhi's death anniversaries the foundation has held Quran khwani at the village, attended by family, volunteers, local people and admirers, with langar distributed afterwards. His son Faisal Edhi, whom he appointed managing trustee in early 2016, now leads the foundation.
How do you visit Edhi's grave respectfully?
We could not find published visiting hours for the grave, and we would not assume you can walk in unannounced. The simplest approach:
- Contact the Edhi Foundation first through the official Edhi Foundation website and ask whether visitors are welcome at the village and when.
- Go in daylight and give your name at the gate.
- Follow staff instructions about where you can walk.
- Do not photograph residents, especially children and patients, and do not post pictures of them.
- Keep it short and quiet. Offer fateha, and leave.
If you want to give something, give it to the foundation directly. Only use the official channels: the Edhi Foundation itself warns about fake donation websites using its name, such as edhius.com and edhiusa.com. Donations of food or supplies should be arranged with staff, not handed out.
Is it safe to drive out on the Super Highway?
The Super Highway is a busy main road and many Karachiites use it daily. As anywhere around Karachi, check local news before setting off, travel in daylight, and keep valuables out of sight. Our Karachi safety guide has the wider picture.
Is it worth going?
For most visitors to Karachi, the Edhi grave is not a tourist outing, and that is the right way to think about it. It suits people who want to pay their respects to a man who meant a great deal to the country, and who are willing to arrange the visit properly. If you only want to understand Edhi's work, a donation or volunteering through the foundation does more good than a drive to the village.
If you are building a day around Karachi's national figures, the Mazar-e-Quaid history guide and our list of places to visit in Karachi are a better starting point. Our experiences page has more ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Abdul Sattar Edhi's grave?
At the Edhi Village, the Edhi Foundation's shelter on the Super Highway (M-9) outside Karachi, in a spot he had chosen about 25 years before he died.
When did Edhi die?
On 8 July 2016, aged 88, from kidney failure. He was given a state funeral at the National Stadium in Karachi on 9 July 2016.
Is Bilquis Edhi buried next to him?
No. Bilquis Edhi died on 15 April 2022 and was buried at the Mewa Shah graveyard in Karachi, beside her mother.
Can anyone visit the Edhi Village?
It is a residential shelter, and we could not find published visiting hours. Contact the Edhi Foundation before you go and follow staff instructions at the gate.
What is the Edhi ambulance number?
Call 115 for an Edhi ambulance anywhere in Pakistan.
