KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday directed all the ministries and directorates to ensure implementation of the job quota, which had been increased from three to five per cent, for differently-abled people while recruiting staff in government departments.

Mr Shah was talking to a delegation of more than 35 members of the Disabled Persons Welfare Organisation (DPW) who called on him at CM House to discuss their long-standing issues.

“Don’t consider yourself weak. In fact you are stronger than others for being optimistic and refusing to shun your hopes,” said Mr Shah.

The DPW representatives told Mr Shah that they gathered outside CM House on Dec 3 every year to commemorate the International Day for the Disabled but it was for the first time that had been invited to CM House. “Today we have brought flowers individually with the hope to present them to the young and dynamic chief minister if we are allowed to see you,” said their leader.

‘You are stronger than others for being optimistic and refusing to shun your hopes’

They said after so many years of their effort to have a meeting with the chief minister they had finally been given the opportunity to have one. “On top of it, refreshment was also offered to us,” added members of the group.

For this, they said, they owed him a word of thanks in the shape of flowers.

Mr Shah said he was feeling sorry that he had not yet organised any event for the differently-abled persons.

“But,” he assured them, “I would be supporting you and take benefit from your abilities by inducting you in government departments as per your quota.”The chief minister asked the minister for sports to organise sport events for differently-abled persons.”I would support your proposed international conference for the disabled persons which has been scheduled to be held on Dec 10 in Karachi,” he said.

Mr Shah also ordered an inquiry into the suspension of a disabled employee of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. “My government will provide you more employment opportunities and establish a sports facility for you,” he added.The Pakistan Peoples Party, he recalled, had got a resolution passed in the Sindh Assembly in 2005 asking the building control authority to include the construction of ramps for wheelchairs but it had not yet been implemented.

He asked the chief secretary to ensure that no layout plan of any building be approved in future until a separate space for ramp was included.

The chief minister mingled and took Selfies with them as he popularly did at public places. He went from one wheelchair to another to greet each member of the delegation and received flowers with generous smile on his face.

CM urges US consul general to issue visa to Larkana cadet Meanwhile, Mr Shah urged the US consul general Grace Shelton to issue a visa to the ailing student of the Cadet College, Larkana in shortest possible time so that he could be sent for medical treatment there.

In a meeting with the US diplomat at CM House, Mr Shah handed over a recommendation letter and other relevant documents to her with a personal request to issue visa to the ailing student at the earliest.

“I have made commitment with the parents of the student to get his treatment done in the US as per recommendation of a medical board,” he said.

Officials said Ms Shelton assured the chief minister that her office would grant his request.

Published in Dawn December 4th, 2016