KARACHI: On Aug 18, 2002, the ministry of social welfare and special education asked the cabinet division to ensure employment of the disabled at 2 per cent quota in all ministries.

However, the disabled are not being granted even 1 per cent employment in several organizations and industries as required by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981. Instead many employers prefer to pay the penalty of Rs1,000 per month for each vacancy for the disabled to the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Fund.

In fact, the National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons has collected over the years “more than Rs30 million” on this head alone, according to Fatima Mansuri, who heads the Disabled People’s International, Karachi chapter. This is a cause for concern as it indicates that thousands of disabled persons are being left out of the job market.

Yet another cause for concern is that “quota for the disabled is only for jobs in grades 1 to 15 generally, and up to grade 16 for lecturers,” according to Mohammad Mobinuddin, member of the management committee, the Association of the Physically- Handicapped Adults, (APHA).

“There is no quota for the disabled in the higher grades. It is almost as if they want to discourage the disabled from seeking higher qualifications,” comments Shariful Muzaffar, President of the APHA.

Mobin, who is a wheelchair user and holds a Master’s degree in public administration, can testify about this. Although Mobin did his Master’s in 1996 from the University of Karachi, he has not found a suitable job as yet. Keen to appear in the CSS exams, he was taken aback after reading the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) form, which states: “those who are physically unfit are not eligible to sit in the FPSC exams.” For the disabled who want to work, there are several other hurdles. Even the first step of acquiring a disability certificate, a must for employment, is not easy.

“First, we have to register at the employment exchange’s regional office. Then go to the Social Welfare Directorate, which is on the first floor and as there is no ramp or lift, a wheelchair user has to be lifted by four men up the long flight of steps.

Then move to Korangi to appear before the medical board that will assess the extent of the disability, whether the disabled person can work indoor, outdoor or not at all, and issue a certificate to the effect. All this should be located at one # spot, at the Social Welfare Directorate, which should be located on the ground floor.”

Other major hurdles, particularly for the wheelchair users, include lack of ramps and elevators at the workplaces (if not on the ground floor); lack of bathrooms with wide doors enabling the wheelchair users to move in easily; and absence of buses with a pulley to haul up the wheelchair into it. In the absence of accessible buses, Mobin has to travel by taxi.

Another concern, says Mobin, is that the managers of the government offices have little idea how many vacancies existed in a particular department for the disabled.

Again, in large organizations, such as the PIA, Mobin has learnt that persons who had suffered from heart attack or who have diabetes were appointed against the disability quota. He also alleges that an able-bodied person was appointed on a post reserved for the disabled after paying bribe.

However, there are also government organizations, like NADRA which has “employed over 20 disabled persons, well beyond the quota requirement of six,” according to S.M. Nishat, APHA Secretary-General. He also praised the Civil Aviation Authority for readily appointing the disabled.

Another concern is how the penalty amount being collected in the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Fund is being spent. According to the 1981 ordinance, the Fund would be utilized for the establishment of training centres for the disabled; on financial assistance to disabled persons who are not fit to undertake any employment; as stipends and scholarships; for the welfare of the disabled and for providing artificial limbs, surgical therapy and medical treatment to them.

But basically, training institutions need to be set up which can help the disabled gain employment. In this regard, a private institution — the Karachi Training Vocational Centre — is doing laudable work in training the mentally-handicapped, due to which they are now able to work in shops, beauty parlours, etc. According to the Principal, Robina Inam, her institution has found jobs for 140 mentally-handicapped students since 1990.

Another organization, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons, keeps the disabled, who are illiterate and poor, away from begging by providing them means of employment.

In order to ensure that more judicious planning and better performance by the National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Ms Mansuri recommends that its members should consist of representatives from the disabled community who have a better understanding of their problems.

She also stresses the need for a law to make public buildings accessible to the disabled. In this respect, a bill for the elimination of environmental barriers to enable full participation of the disabled was presented in the National Assembly in June 1991 and in Feb 1994. On both the occasions, it lapsed due to delays.

According to Mobin, one measure that will help the disabled get jobs is the imposition of a higher penalty on employers not fulfilling the disability quota. “If each employer had to pay Rs10,000 for not hiring a disabled person, I am sure the employers will be more eager to employ the disabled.”

However, one expects little change for the disabled until they are able to unite on one platform and assert their rights. Only then will their voice be heard, says Ms Mansuri.