Dr Alvi asks business community to create opportunities for persons with disabilities

Karachi: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the business community and private organisations to create opportunities in collaboration with the government for persons with disabilities (PWDs) so as to assist them in leading a better life and contributing to society.

Addressing an ‘Interactive Dialogue on PWDs’ organised by World Health Organisation (WHO) at the Governor House on Saturday, he said the government was making all-out efforts to provide disabled persons with their rights and facilities.

President Dr Arif Alvi said, “The government alone cannot do it all and the private sector should come forward in this regard.”

He said society needed inclusiveness and acceptability, and persons with disabilities should be provided with easier access to technology and increased accessibility to public places by making good conditions for them.

The president emphasised that the inclusion of PWDs into the mainstream of society would help them grow as more fruitful citizens of society.

He said mainstreaming would also help dispel prejudiced notions among our populations and transform the dependence of PWDs into their freedom through job creation and opportunities.

He urged all the federal and provincial government stakeholders for using technologies to maximise the job opportunities for PWDs.

Dr Alvi said educational and training institutes should be encouraged to enrol PWDs, especially those with physical, visual, or hearing disabilities, without discrimination and stressed the availability of trained teachers.

He said that approximately 10 per cent out of the population of the country was of PWDs. He said that the issuance of disability cards by Nadra to PWDs was appreciable.

Stressing the need for accurate data on persons with disabilities, he said there should be more effective and comprehensive awareness campaigns so that the PWDs could come forward to register themselves and avail facilities.

Dr Alvi also stressed the need for ensuring moveable ramps and availability of wheelchairs at different places, including educational institutions and other organisations for the PWDs.

He sought suggestions and inputs from the participants of the dialogue to overcome the challenges being faced by the PWDs.

CM promises help

The Sindh government is ready to serve persons with disabilities in every way and will cooperate with every department, non-governmental organisations and other bodies working to promote and protect the rights of such persons.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said this on Saturday while speaking at a programme organised by the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on International Day of Persons with Disabilities that falls on December 3.

The event, which was held at the Banquet Hall of the CM House, was attended by NGOs working for special persons, businessmen, senior government officers, members of civil society, persons with disabilities, and others.