BATTAGRAM: Pakistan Association of the Blind, Battagram chapter, held a rally here the other day and criticised the government and local administration for not taking steps for their welfare.

The rally started from the DHQ hospital and ended at press club where the association’s local office-bearers spoke about the rights and issues the visually impaired people had been facing since long.

Maulana Atta Mohammad, Habibur Rehman, PAB Battagram chapter president and notables of the area were present on this occasion. The speakers demanded of the government to establish a school and technical training centre for the blind children as there was no such institute in the district to facilitate them. They claimed that the policy of two per cent quota for the special persons was not being followed in Battagram district.

They demanded monthly stipend for the blind people and other handicapped persons and their inclusion in the future BISP survey. They called for fixing steel bars along the stairs in buildings of all the government departments.

Deputy commissioner Mohammad Farul Saqlain said on the occasion that he would raise issues of the visually impaired on every relevant forum. He said that he would direct heads of all the departments to solve issues of the special people on priority basis. He said that he would also take up their case for inclusion with the BISP authorities.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2017