17 October 2004	Sunday	02 Ramazan 1425

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education has recommended allocation of two per cent quota for employment of special persons.

A meeting of the committee was held at the Parliament House which was presided over by Senator Roshan Khursheed Bharucha.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education Zobaida Jalal who gave an overview of the national policy for persons with disabilities and various programmes being undertaken by the ministry.

The committee suggested that the ministry should set up a cell where special persons could send their applications. It said sports should also be organized for such persons.

The committee was of the view that special persons should be referred to as 'challenged persons'.

It recommended that there should be a regular programme on PTV and other private channels which focussed on issues of special persons.

Speaking on the occasion, Zobaida Jalal said the government was focusing its attention on the welfare and education of special persons and sufficient funds would be provided for this purpose.

The secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, also gave a comprehensive briefing on the functions, working mechanism, organizational structure, future plans and ongoing development projects and schemes of the Directorate General of Special Education.

The committee was informed that as many as 51 special education centres were functioning in the country with an enrolment of 4,631 students.

It was told that a number of short, medium and long-term programmes had been initiated including procurement of disabilities specific equipment, assistance devices to facilitate education and training of disabled children, training and development of professional manpower both local and foreign and development of park for the disabled in Islamabad.

The meeting was informed that 30 projects initiated for the welfare of special persons were at various stages of completion in different cities for which an amount of Rs286.351 million had been allocated during the current budget.

According to 1998 census, 2.49 per cent of the population in Pakistan was suffering from various disabilities. Realizing the magnitude of the problems, the government has taken various initiatives to mitigate the hardships of persons with disabilities, the meeting was informed.

Referring to the collaboration with international organizations, the secretary said a proposal amounting to Rs280.30 million for provision of equipment/transport had been forwarded to the US embassy.

Similarly, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) is providing services of five volunteers in various areas of disabilities, organizing workshops and training manpower. Besides, World Bank, Asia Foundation and other international agencies are assisting in various programmes.

The committee members took keen interest and raised queries about training and salaries of the teachers imparting special education, job opportunities for special persons and coordination among various departments to help them.

The meeting was also attended by senators Dr Nighat Agha, Shereen Noor, Dr Kauser Firdaus, Syed Sajjad Hussain Bokhari and senior ministry officials.