KARACHI: Some volunteers of the Edhi Foundation and Aman Foundation were given awards and cash prizes on Wednesday in recognition of their services to the nation at the first Edhi Award ceremony.

The event was organised by Aman Foundation in collaboration with the Edhi Foundation at a local hotel to recognise the work of paramedic staff and ambulance drivers of the two foundations.

Talking to Dawn, Parahnaz Zahidi of the Aman Foundation said the award ceremony was the first of its kind and eventually would be an annual feature. She said the move was aimed at promoting and moving forward the legacy of the late Abdul Sattar Edhi.

She said that this year the awards recognised the work of the two foundations.

`We hope to continue hosting these awards to recognise the work of other organisations such as 1122 and Chhipa in the coming years,` she said.

Two winners were chosen out of the six nominees whose names were provided by Edhi and Aman Foundations.

Meer Afzal, a volunteer with the Edhi Foundation for the past 34 years, was given an award and a cash prize of Rs50,000 for his services during earthquakes and accidents.

Saeed Khan of the Aman Foundation was given the award and Rs50,000 for similar services.

Services of those who died in the line of duty were also recognised.

Families of the drivers who died on duty while working for the Edhi Foundation, including Mohammad Amin, Faiz Ur Rehman and Abdul Ahad, were given certificates and shields for their services to the nation.

The jury included Executive Director and Head of Emergency at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Dr Seemin Jamali, and former director general of health Dr Rashid Juma.

Bilguees Edhi was the chief guest on the occasion.