General News
People with disabilities in Pakistan want representation in parliament
March 18: In what was an impressive show of unity and activism, a large number of disabled persons from all across the country gathered at Parade Lane, chanted slogans and staged a sit-in to demand their representation in the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies.
With blue ribbon tied on their heads to remind government of their international commitments regarding the disabled persons, they stayed at the Parade Lane for many hours insisting that some government official should come and assure them that their demands will be met in due time. Pakistan Peopleโs Party representative Dr. Israr Shah also joined the protest.
Organised by Pakistan Disability Forum (PDF), the protest was aimed at demanding reserved seats for disabled persons in the upcoming constitutional amendments. Disabled persons from all age groups participated in protest. โWe can not access any park, school or government building. We cannot travel through public transport. It is the society and government that has made us disabled,โ said a young and bright girl, Saima Aslam, suffering from muscular dystrophy. โDespite having normal minds, we are not given admission in normal schools,โ she said.
Also standing quite among the protesters was fragile five-year-old blind child Syed Murtaza. His five sisters and brother are also disabled. When asked what he demands, his answer was as innocent as he was. โI want good things.โ Muratza is a resident of Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. His elder brother, who is also blind, told โThe Newsโ that though their case was highlighted in electronic media, they have received no help from the government.
โThe little help we were receiving from Bait-ul-Maal has also been stopped as its offices have stopped functioning from Kashmir,โ he said.
Member Central Directorate PDF Asim Zafar said that National Policy for Disabled Persons was launched in the year 2002 but has never been implemented. โThe policy has been expired in 2007 without any implementation, as there is no one in the assembly to represent us,โ he pointed out. He said that there are only 500 schools functioning for disables persons under Ministry of Social.
โOnly 25,000 children study in these schools that are nothing as compared to the total number of disabled population in the country. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 10 per cent of Pakistanโs population is disabled.
Asim said that government has issued special cards to disabled persons for concessions in train and airfare etc but when they approach relevant department, officials there say that they have not received any notification.
Leaders of organisations working for disabled persons made fiery speeches and vowed to stay at the Parade Lane unless they are ensured at least 2 per cent representation in the Senate and Parliament. โIf women and minorities can have reserved seats then why disables persons can not exercise their right to have representation at decision making level,โ said Shafiq-ur-Rehman, member Central Directorate PDF.
He said that they after earthquake and terror attacks, the number of disabled persons have increased. โWe have staged this protest for everybody as 50 percent of our population is directly or indirectly affected by disability,โ he said. โWe are fed up of living the life of beggars moving from one office t to the other to demand our rights,โ he mentioned adding that they want permanent representation at decision and policymaking level.
Despite reconciliation efforts by Pakistan Peopleโs Party representative Dr Israr Shah, protestors stayed at the D Chowk until Senator Faisal Raza came to meet them and ensured that he will present their demands before President Asif Ali Zardari within this week.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk
Additional Information
Country: Pakistan
Website: http://www.disabilitynewsasia.com/home-mainmenu-1/184-people-with-disabilities-in-pakistan-want-representation-in-parliament.html
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Source: Mail from: Ghulam Nabi Nizamani
When: 23/3/2010
