President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday emphasized that society and the family system would have to play their due role to facilitate the lives of disabled persons as well as those needing rehabilitative care.
The president, addressing the concluding ceremony of a course held by the Global Rehabilitation Leadership Institute, said the community welfare had been the basis for all religions, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism, citing the examples of holy prophets, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his companions.
He said at a time when the world lacked morality and humanism in its affairs, it was the society that would have to play its part, particularly for the welfare of persons with disabilities and those who could benefit from rehabilitation.
Citing a research study, the president told the gathering that around 24 percent of Pakistan’s population suffered mental stress, including 60-70 percent of the students.
He said the situation could not be addressed at a time when the country had just 600 psychiatrists and 1,200 psychologists. In such a case, the family system could prove to be a good anchor to extend its support in the form of group therapy and stress sharing. President Alvi said without depending on the state, the family system would have to come up to play its part as in Islamic societies the communities always promulgated laws. He stressed the need for the Pakistani society to show compassion towards the persons with disabilities as generally, their attitude towards them was not welcoming. He said all the deprived segments of society, including women and 27 million out-of-school children, required due attention for redressal of their woes.He said the enrollment of out-of-school children could take decades if left up to the state while the Pakistani society could address the issue far earlier by utilising the already available infrastructure of mosques.
