KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, stating that empowerment through skills development, education and employment remains a top priority of the government.

He said this while addressing the Graduation Ceremony 2024-25 of Persons with Disabilities organised by NOWPDP [Network of Organisations Working for People with Disabilities in Pakistan] at their Centres in Korangi on Tuesday.

The chief minister said the event was organised under the Hunarmand Programme, a partnership between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), the Sindh government and NOWPDP.

The programme is financially supported by DEPD and aims to enable persons with disabilities to live independent and dignified lives.

The chief minister said that with the support of his government, more than 65,000 persons with disabilities have directly benefited over the past five years, while joint initiatives with NOWPDP have brought positive change to the lives of over 325,000 individuals across the province.

“Our objective is to bring real improvement in the lives of persons with disabilities and empower them to play a positive role in society,” he said.

Mr Shah announced that the Pakistan Peoples Party government is establishing 10 centres of excellence across all divisions of Sindh, adding that under the Hunarmand Programme, over 4,200 persons with disabilities have completed skills training, while more than 1,700 individuals have been employed in 22 different industries.

Highlighting gender inclusion, he noted that one in every three graduates of the Hunarmand Programme is a woman with disability, emphasising that skills development and employment initiatives are being designed with a strong focus on gender inclusion.

He further shared that over 500 special children are currently enrolled in five special education schools in Sindh, creating a strong linkage from education to skills development and ultimately to employment.

“This progress reflects the success of Sindh’s public-private partnership model”, he said.

The chief minister thanked all partner organisations and stakeholders and reiterated his government’s full support.

Congratulating the graduating students, he applauded the efforts of parents and NOWPDP, and highlighted the establishment of C-ARTS [Centre for Autism, Rehabilitation and Training Sindh] across the province. He said the first centres were set up in Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Korangi, followed by new centres in Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.

He also spoke about the government’s Assistive Devices Programme, stating that approximately Rs700 million has been allocated this year to provide assistive devices to persons with disabilities. He added that local partners, including NED University, have been engaged to manufacture assistive devices locally.

Mr Shah announced the development of an inclusive city near the Shaheed Bhutto Expressway, expressing hope that the project would be completed before the end of his government tenure.

The chief minister presented awards and degrees to the graduates.

The ceremony was attended by Secretary DEPD Tauha Farooqui, NOWPDP President Amin Hashwani, CEO Omair Ahmaed, GM Fatima Jamil and others.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2026