LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed its supports for the ongoing protest by visually impaired persons at Charing Cross.

Terming the situation unacceptable in a statement, the HRCP urged the Punjab government to support the right of persons living with disabilities to earn, at the very least, a living wage – especially when they were more likely than others to be affected by spiralling inflation.

The protesters claimed that in April, Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Raja Basharat had made a promise to them on behalf of the chief minister that the government would make their employment permanent, the HRCP said. The minister’s pledge had evidently not been honoured and HRCP urged the government to take prompt action to meet the protesters’ legitimate demands, the statement added.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2019