Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib, founder of Akhuwat, an organization that has rendered revolutionary services towards poverty alleviation in Pakistan, was honored with the first Edhi Award at a prestigious ceremony held in London. The award was presented to him on the occasion of the South Asian Festival. The Global Edhi Award has been launched this year to carry forward the mission and legacy of Pakistan’s greatest humanitarian, Abdul Sattar Edhi.
The award has been instituted with the formal approval of Faisal Edhi and the Edhi family, with the core objective of promoting Abdul Sattar Edhi’s spirit of service to humanity across the world.
Dr. Amjad Saqib founded Akhuwat in 2001 with only a $100 interest-free loan. Today, it has become the world’s largest program providing interest-free microfinance, distributing over $1.5 billion in loans to more than 7 million families in Pakistan to help them rise out of poverty. Akhuwat’s successful model has gained global recognition and is taught as a case study at Harvard University.
In recognition of his services, Dr. Amjad Saqib has previously been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award (considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize). He has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was named Man of the Decade.
At the ceremony, the award was presented to Dr. Amjad Saqib by world-renowned poet Mr. Iftikhar Arif, who paid glowing tribute to him and described him as the most significant figure in Pakistan’s fight against poverty.
Also present at the event were Ms. Anjum Raza (President of Faiz Foundation UK and driving force behind Visal, South Asian arts and literature), Dr. Umar Daraz, along with festival organizers Ikram Qaimkhani, Dr. Qadir Sarki, and Javed Soomro.
Receiving the award, Dr. Amjad Saqib expressed his gratitude to the organizers and said that being chosen for this honor was a matter of great pride for him. Paying homage to Abdul Sattar Edhi, he declared him his guiding light and pledged to continue serving the nation by following in his footsteps.