ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday reiterated his government’s resolve to provide all resources for the welfare of special persons in the country. He was peaking at the inaugural ceremony of a five-day regional training seminar on “Capacity building of self-help organizations for persons with disabilities” organized by the ministry of social welfare and special education in association with Asia-Pacific Development Centre for Disability.

“We can be made a prosperous nation only when every citizen gets equal opportunity to progress and prosper, and we remain committed to our special people.”

The seminar was also attended by 35 special persons, including women, from 21 countries.

Mr Aziz said denial of opportunities to disabled persons gravitated the existing barriers and increased poverty as their exclusion also decreased the economic vitality of their families.

He said we need to promote inclusive education for children with mild to moderate disabilities instead of isolating them in separate institutions, workforce, and in decision making.

The government, he said, had already increased quota for the special people from one per cent to two per cent to help them compete in the civil service examinations.

He said the government would provide full support for educating special people in a sophisticated way without any discrimination.

“We are legislating to make all public building and places disabled-friendly and barrier-free and in this connection Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar have been declared as disabled- friendly cities,” he added.

The prime minister said it was a symbol of victory for a country where disabled struggled for their bright future, adding that we must be sympathetic towards them because they deserved our attention.

He said it was with this objective to eliminate barriers and provide opportunities to people with disabilities that the first ever National Policy for Persons with Disabilities was announced in 2002.

The policy stipulates provisions that would lead to the integration in society of special persons and ensure them equal opportunities of access to education, employment and services.

Mr Aziz also urged people with disabilities to find time, energy and commitment to involve themselves in civil society and take control of their affairs.

He also stressed continued partnership and progressive collaboration between all stakeholders including the government, NGOs, civil society and donors.