Richard Covington

He was arguably the most widely admired man in Pakistan, yet throughout his 88-year life, which ended on July 8 and was followed by a state funeral, Abdul Sattar Edhi remained little known abroad. Starting in 1951 with a free pharmacy in a poor neighborhood of Karachi,  by deeds more than words he inspired the growth of a nationwide charitable organization of ambulances, clinics, orphanages, asylums, shelters, mortuaries, hospitals, schools and kitchens. In recognition of his legacy, we are reprinting our story "Humanitarian to a Nation," which appeared on our November/December 2004 cover.