KARACHI:
In Sindh, there is a 5% quota for physically impaired individuals for government jobs in grades 1 to 15. However, very few physically impaired people will be found in the Sindh Assembly or Sindh Secretariat. This is because no concrete measures have been taken to increase the representation of those with physical impairments. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) holds the responsibility to encourage physically impaired people to apply for government jobs and ensure their recruitment, but they have not taken any action either.
In Pakistan, education and hospital expenses for physically impaired individuals are only free in government institutions but these institutions have done little to empower them. Consequently, most people remain unaware of the opportunities available to them and spend their lives idly because of the stigmatisation of physical impairments in our society. Even though DEPD is under the auspices of a government department and has ample facilities, it has failed to support people. This has been proven time and again because of the complex difficulties people have had to face in terms of availing opportunities and undertaking tests.
Physically impaired people are considered almost non-existent in the country as most places are non-accessible for them and nothing has been done to improve accessibility. Every now and then, some government official talks about improving the representation of physically impaired persons and introducing a bill but these efforts rarely ever materialise into something concrete. The test fees for physically impaired individuals should be waived and adjustments should be made in all departments to welcome physically impaired people rather than alienate them. Amendments must be made to the laws concerning physically impaired persons and the authorities must ensure that the laws are rigorously imposed.
R K Ghouri
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2022.
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