LAHORE: PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi has urged the government to ensure facilities and special quota for special persons in all departments.

Talking to a delegation of the parents of special children who called on him at his residence here on Tuesday, Mr Elahi said that during his tenure as chief minister he had taken measures, including free education, equipments, transport, stipends, special quota in all departments and educational institutions, for the special persons.

He said his party’s government had established talking computer laboratories, low vision centres and audio clinics for the blind, deaf and dumb persons, adding that the blind cricket team was given special patronage and facilities which subsequently became the world champion.

“The special children education institutions in the private sector were also given technical and financial assistance. For the first time, autonomous institution for education of the handicapped was set up under which 119 special education schools and centres were established in the public sector at tehsil level from 2002 to 2007,” Pervaiz Elahi said, adding degree colleges for special persons were established in Lahore and Bahawalpur in 2004. He said for the first time a blind woman was appointed as the operator at the chief minister’s house in his tenure.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2014