ISLAMABAD, June 4: Social justice is the corner stone of an egalitarian society where everybody is provided equal rights, the Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education observed.

The committee meeting held here on Friday was presided over by Senator Roshan Khurshid Bharucha. Briefing on the working mechanism and structure of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, the committee discerned that alleviating sufferings of men, women, children, special and aging population of the country be given due consideration to improve plight of vulnerable segments of society.

Adviser to the Prime Minister for Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education, Nilofar Bakhtiar said best endeavours were being made to implement policies aimed at poverty alleviation, protection of human rights and establishing social security nets for the vulnerable sections of society.

The government had declared 2004 the year of child and efforts in the direction to provide special children with better facilities were being made, she informed. She said Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar had been declared "Disabled Friendly Cities".

The committee was further informed that 22 projects had been launched by the federal government to cater to the needs of the socially neglected and under privileged sections of the people in several spheres. The committee learnt that 83 labour centres had been established in Pakistan and construction of another 50-60 bed burn centre would commence by the end of the month.