ATTOCK, Oct 11: District Coordination Officer (DCO) Malik Abdul Razaq has said that special people should be given respectful status in the society.

“Special people should be given priority in the society, because they are as intelligent, hardworking, courageous and competent as normal people,” he said while speaking at a function organised by the Deaf and Defective School and Razia Sultana School for Blinds here on Thursday.

The district government, he said, was taking steps for the uplift of the education sector in Attock and was utilising its resources to provide better facilities at schools specially for the institutions of special children.

He said the district government will continue to provide assistance to schools and their problems will be solved on priority basis. He appreciated the performance of the schools working for the welfare of special children by providing them standard education to rehabilitate them in the society. The DCO urged upon philanthropists to come forward and help special children in the society.

Speaking on the occasion, other speakers including EDOs Ansar Wazir Hydar, Malik Ashraf, Prof Anwar Jalal and Principal Government Girls High School Attock said that with the active assistance of the district government and civil society organisations, better facilities are being provided to special children of both organising institutions.

They said despite the government the community should also share the responsibility to help special children in this regard. The rich should come forward and play an active role in this regard, they added.

Earlier, special children presented tableau and national songs, which were highly admired by the participants. Shields and prizes were distributed among the special students, teachers and guests on the occasion.