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KARACHI, Dec 2: Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil has asked all union council nazims to conduct survey of disabled persons in their respective areas to determine their precise number and take steps to provide jobs to them.
She was addressing a workshop on ‘Communication and presentation skills’ organised by the City Institute of Image Management to mark the International Day for Disabled Persons at City Naib Nazim Secretariat, Karachi on Sunday.
She said that common people should have to change their mindset and attitude towards disabled persons. She said, “We could also be helpful for the disabled persons by promoting sign language. Those who do not help disabled persons despite being blessed with good health and other facilities are in fact the real disabled people,” she remarked.
She said media should also give coverage to sign language so that disabled persons could be encouraged in the society.
She said five centres for special children were being established in Malir, Korangi, Gulberg, SITE and Lyari under the supervision of the city government’s community development department.
She urged philanthropists to contribute towards ensuring a better place in the society for the special people by establishing vocational training centres for them. This would help them contribute their bit towards betterment of the society.—Agencies
Disabled persons were a vulnerable asset for the country, said Shazia Marri, the Pakistan People’s Party’s provincial information secretary for women, in a statement issued on the international day for disabled persons, adds our staff reporter.
Emphasizing on the need to integrate disabled persons into the mainstream, she said: “It is time we understand that every individual has inherent value, and endeavour to utilise that value to the country’s benefit.” She stated that sidelining people on the basis of their disabilities was both offensive and unacceptable.
She said although disabled persons formed a sizeable part of our population, until a few years ago, there wasn’t even a quota for them in the civil services examinations.
“Those in authority remain oblivious to the fact that over 15 per cent of the country’s population is being ignored by their bigoted attitude. In fact, when I brought a resolution on this issue to the House, it was opposed by none other than Arbab Rahim himself,” she added.
Commenting on the lack of facilities available to the disabled persons, Ms Marri said the country was not yet equipped to offer employment to disabled persons. “We can’t even guarantee their access to all buildings,” she regretted, explaining that there was no law binding builders to construct elevators or ramps in public buildings.
She reiterated her commitment to the cause of the disabled, and assured them of the PPP’s support towards ensuring their participation in the mainstream society.
