PESHAWAR, Dec 20: The University of Peshawar (UoP) has established a computer laboratory for the visually impaired persons at the Institute of Social Work, Sociology and Gender Studies.

“The laboratory is fully equipped with the latest devices to cater to the needs of the visually impaired students of UoP,” said a press release issued here on Tuesday.

The laboratory was inaugurated by Vice-chancellor Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, who was accompanied by Institute of Sociology Director Dr Johar Ali and Peshawar University Teachers Association president Jamil Ahmed.

Addressing the students, the vice-chancellor said that people with physical challenges should not be called disabled. In fact they were blessed with additional abilities that others could not possess, he added.

“We are trying to turn your weakness into strength so that you can hear what others can't see and this computer laboratory is one of the steps towards achieving it,” he said.

The vice-chancellor said that the university had been planning to make the computer laboratory a research centre for the visually impaired students. He said that the university was on its way to increase their quota in admissions besides including the problems and their possible solutions faced by special persons as a subject in the curricula of social sciences.

He announced provision of four additional computers to the laboratory as well.

Dr Johar said on the occasion that the number of visually impaired persons in the country was around 4.5 million. He said that visually impaired persons could contribute a lot to the society if given opportunities and necessary facilities.