Geeta's Return

[Muzna]

You may be familiar with Geeta’s story and how she ended up in the care of the Edhi Foundation for a decade.
Here’s what just happened:

Edhi declines Indian PM Modi’s donation

KARACHI: Celebrated humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi on Tuesday declined the offer of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to donate 10 million Indian rupees to his charity.

“Abdul Sattar Edhi has thanked Mr Modi and politely declined to accept his announced financial help,” Edhi Foundation Spokesman Anwar Kazmi said.

Kazmi said Mr Edhi’s son, Faisal Edhi, will be addressing a press conference in this regard at 4:30pm at Karachi Press Club.

Modi on Monday announced the contribution to the charity after the return of hearing and speech impaired girl Geeta to India.

“What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured but I am happy to announce a contribution of Rs10 million for their foundation,” Modi tweeted on Monday.

Found on a train that had crossed the border from India into the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, Geeta remained in Pakistan under the care of the country’s largest welfare organisation, the Edhi Foundation in Karachi for more than a decade.

After identifying a family as her own through a picture sent by Indian officials, Geeta finally returned to India on Monday with Mr Edhi’s wife Bilquis Edhi.

But in a tragic twist, just hours after arriving in Delhi, she told officials she did not know the family. India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj vowed to find her parents after a DNA test.

Relations between the Pakistan and India are at their lowest ebbs with allegations of ceasefire violations and involvement in terrorism from both sides.

Planned talks between national security advisers from India and Pakistan were canceled in August hours before they were due to start, dashing hopes the two might tackle the violence that many fear could one day spark a nuclear showdown. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his speech at the 70th session of UN General Assembly earlier this month, presented a four point peace initiative to resolve all issues with India.

But India rejected the peace plan accusing Pakistan of promoting terrorism in the region, Pakistan handed over three dossiers of Indian involvement of terrorism inside Pakistan to UN chief.

Edhi declines Indian PM Modi’s donation - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

[Jolie]

Re: Geeta's Return

Before anyone gets the wrong side of the stick.

Edhi Foundation has a strict policy of not accepting aid from foreign governments.

So spare the poor man your knives and pitchforks for refusing Modi's money!

[Sehrysh]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Jolie

Before anyone gets the wrong side of the stick.

Edhi Foundation has a strict policy of not accepting aid from foreign governments.

So spare the poor man your knives and pitchforks for refusing Modi's money!

Are we allowed to take out the knives and pitchforks against the Pakistani media?

Most people wouldn't know that Edhi has a policy against accepting foreign government donations and his declining the donation was in keeping with that policy. The way the article reads, sure its factual, but no mention is made of why Edhi declined the donation, and in fact Modi's donation is positioned as an act of gratitude and benevolence and the latter part of the article speaks to the on-going conflict between the nations.

The issues are disparate, but the article conflates them.

Can you imagine an Indian newspaper quoting this Pakistani article and then because of the incomplete information in Dawn's article, spinning it as if Pakistanis won't even accept charity that could help a good cause because it comes from India(ns)?

[Anjul]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Jolie

Before anyone gets the wrong side of the stick.

Edhi Foundation has a strict policy of not accepting aid from foreign governments.

So spare the poor man your knives and pitchforks for refusing Modi's money!

I like your comment. I read about Edhi foundation and Sh. Abdul Sattar Edhi in newspapers. Good institution indeed.

[LP]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Sehrysh

Are we allowed to take out the knives and pitchforks against the Pakistani media?

Most people wouldn't know that Edhi has a policy against accepting foreign government donations and his declining the donation was in keeping with that policy. The way the article reads, sure its factual, but no mention is made of why Edhi declined the donation, and in fact Modi's donation is positioned as an act of gratitude and benevolence and the latter part of the article speaks to the on-going conflict between the nations.

The issues are disparate, but the article conflates them.

Can you imagine an Indian newspaper quoting this Pakistani article and then because of the incomplete information in Dawn's article, spinning it as if Pakistanis won't even accept charity that could help a good cause because it comes from India(ns)?

True that

[SID_NY]

Re: Geeta's Return

Kudos to Edhi, Pakistani govt, media or whoever played a role in this whole scenario. Its a great gesture and beautiful humanitarian effort despite all the evil-intentions from the other side.

Whether its fishermen or Geeta, Pakistanis have proved time-after-time they have much bigger heart. It put Modi govt with no choice but to welcome it.

[Anjul]

Re: Geeta's Return

^ see, someone is using this humanitarian act to spread hatred. Kahi to hazmola kha liya karo bhai. India ko kosne k aur mauke khoj lena

[Jolie]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Sehrysh

Are we allowed to take out the knives and pitchforks against the Pakistani media?

Most people wouldn't know that Edhi has a policy against accepting foreign government donations and his declining the donation was in keeping with that policy. The way the article reads, sure its factual, but no mention is made of why Edhi declined the donation, and in fact Modi's donation is positioned as an act of gratitude and benevolence and the latter part of the article speaks to the on-going conflict between the nations.

The issues are disparate, but the article conflates them.

Can you imagine an Indian newspaper quoting this Pakistani article and then because of the incomplete information in Dawn's article, spinning it as if Pakistanis won't even accept charity that could help a good cause because it comes from India(ns)?

Of course!

Dawn is actually quite an incompetent and a highly agenda ridden paper, (and I can assure you that they have no such policy of not taking foreign government's aid)! I didn't realise that many people don't really cross check their news, and papers are Dawn are their only source of news from Pakistan. I am genuinely appalled how some "journalists" in Pakistan are giving a such negative and sinister twist to most basic policy adherence by Edhi Foundation. Height of ignorance. Pathetic on all levels.

The onus is on us to correct this stupid misconception - especially when it comes to our highly loved and respected Edhi Sahab.

[Sehrysh]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Jolie

Of course!

Dawn is actually quite an incompetent and a highly agenda ridden paper, and I can assure they have no such policy of not taking foreign government's aid! I didn't realise that many people don't really cross check their news, and papers are Dawn are their only source of news from Pakistan. I am genuinely appalled how some "journalists" in Pakistan are giving a such negative and sinister twist to most basic policy adherence by Edhi Foundation. Height of ignorance. Pathetic on all levels.

The onus is on us to correct this stupid misconception - especially when it comes to our highly loved and respected Edhi Sahab.

^ Sadly, staying up-to-date on current events is time-consuming, which is an explanation and not an excuse. That coupled with the assumption most people have (and I think Americans are a great example - and those are the locals and not the ABCDs) is that news channels/newspapers are gospel, that journalism and journalists are unbiased and document "facts" and that journalism and journalists operate with integrity.

No one really looks to see the bias or agenda underlying the media reports. Think FOX News and CNN and their slant on world events and then read non-US papers and read their telling of the same "factual" events. Truth has become relative, and most people don't know or make the effort to know how to separate truth from fiction or biased/incomplete truths.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and information on this topic - it does help to dispel the half-truths and makes us more vigilant about reporting standards.

[OYMWA]

Re: Geeta's Return

Anybody know what the Faisal Edhi said in that press conference? Did he make the Foundation's policy clear?

[SID_NY]

Re: Geeta's Return

Let us not forget Ansar Burni who has played a very active role in finding whereabouts and return efforts of Geeta. as he has done it dozens of times before for other indian/pakistani captives as well.

[SID_NY]

Re: Geeta's Return

@OYMWA

Anybody know what the Faisal Edhi said in that press conference? Did he make the Foundation's policy clear?

That the fundation doesnt accept money from any governments. Also asked indian PM to allocate the donated money for welfare of hearing and speech impaired community in India

[OYMWA]

Re: Geeta's Return

@SID_NY

That the fundation doesnt accept money from any governments. Also asked indian PM to allocate the donated money for welfare of hearing and speech impaired community in India

Looks like Dawn jumped the gun and ran the piece, maybe for ratings.

That was class on Edhi's part. If I were them, would have said, we don't accept it from a murderous, hate-monger. Those of us that agree with them should increase our donations to make up for what was turned down.

[Jolie]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Anjul

^ see, someone is using this humanitarian act to spread hatred. Kahi to hazmola kha liya karo bhai. India ko kosne k aur mauke khoj lena

Honestly you people have turned the word "hatred" into a complete and utter joke. The moment anyone hears criticism against something they don't like, it is quickly classified as "hatred".

Seriously!

[Jolie]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Anjul

^ see, someone is using this humanitarian act to spread hatred. Kahi to hazmola kha liya karo bhai. India ko kosne k aur mauke khoj lena

I wonder if you know that the day Pakistan honourably sent off Geeta to India with love, India on the same day killed two Pakistani children on the LoC! While both India and Pakistanis go gaga over Geeta euphoria, who is going to mourn those two innocent lives lost?

Stop preaching this mindless hippie love for precious India. Why should Pakistanis lose perspective of things?

[Muzna]

Re: Geeta’s Return

@OYMWA

Looks like Dawn jumped the gun and ran the piece, maybe for ratings.

And what’s new with that?
As Sehrysh has mentioned in another post above…the media, amongst other organizations, are notorious for doing their part in all this “hatred”.

@OYMWA

That was class on Edhi’s part. If I were them, would have said, we don’t accept it from a murderous, hate-monger.

and that’s why Edhi saheb is classy and you would not have been…

@OYMWA

Those of us that agree with them should increase our donations to make up for what was turned down.

That’s exactly the suggestion I posted on FB.

[Anjul]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Jolie I respect your understanding of the terms hatred and criticism. Actually I like the way you express your views, your logics. I highly appriciate your knowledge of current affairs and history. Let me remind you I am not the chowdhry of India, I didn't join this forum to represent India. There are men of GOI to represent India whenever and wherever required and they are doing their job quite well. I feel my behavior and thoughts should be good and yes I speak my mind boldly (as you do) when I see people settling rivalry on such things. I do speak when on dadri lynching someone says India is becoming Pakistan. Many a time I speak negative but true about India, you can see my recent comment in a wedding gift related thread. I say what I feel and you understand it in your own way. It is very clear that your understanding of hatred and criticism is different.

[OYMWA]

Re: Geeta’s Return

@Muzna

And what’s new with that?
As Sehrysh has mentioned in another post above…the media, amongst other organizations, are notorious for doing their part in all this “hatred”.

and that’s why Edhi saheb is classy and you would not have been…

That’s exactly the suggestion I posted on FB.

In short, my post was redundant.

[Southie]

Re: Geeta's Return

@Jolie

I wonder if you know that the day Pakistan honourably sent off Geeta to India with love, India on the same day killed two Pakistani children on the LoC! While both India and Pakistanis go gaga over Geeta euphoria, who is going to mourn those two innocent lives lost?

Stop preaching this mindless hippie love for precious India. Why should Pakistanis lose perspective of things?

You are conflating two independent events.

[Southie]

Re: Geeta's Return

@SID_NY

Kudos to Edhi, Pakistani govt, media or whoever played a role in this whole scenario. Its a great gesture and beautiful humanitarian effort despite all the evil-intentions from the other side.

Whether its fishermen or Geeta, Pakistanis have proved time-after-time they have much bigger heart. It put Modi govt with no choice but to welcome it.

Is it imperative during genuinely nice occasions such as this to state "we" have bigger hearts than "them"? Surely a humanitarian such as Edhi is not about such comparisons.