Staff Reporter
Islamabad
President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday stressed that the government, in order to make special persons active members of the society, was taking all possible measures, including the provision of free education to them from primary school to university level.
He said the government had distributed health cards among over 26,000 persons with disabilities to facilitate them in access to medical facilities.
The President mentioned that under Ehsaas programme, around two million disabled people would be provided financial assistance.
He said that the government, under the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China for the promotion and production of assistive technology for PWDs in Pakistan.
The President said that as there was lack of data about special persons, the survey being conducted under the Ehsaas Program will be completed by June 2021.
He said though the number of special persons showed in census was 2%, but according to a survey the real number of PWDs in the country was 15%, and they lack appropriate facilities.
He said with the minimum reported numbers, the special persons have to face difficulties in registration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), adding, there was a need to make this procedure simple and easy. The President said that as the special persons besides difficulties in mobility also have to face discrimination and negative attitudes in the society, media can play its role to discourage such attitudes.
“We have to be compassionate about special persons,” he stressed.
The President stressed providing education to physically disabled and also the persons with visual and hearing impairment at regular schools instead of separate institutions, which resulted in their detachment from mainstream.
He said free education for special persons from primary to university level was under consideration, while efforts were afoot to also provide them professional and technical skills.
Dr Alvi said special people were playing an important role in national development and mentioned that their contribution had also been acknowledged through conferment of Presidential Awards.
