KARACHI:
Consider what it would feel like to be unable to go to school, reach a clinic, or attend a job interview due to reasons beyond your control. It may seem like a lack of will, but in truth, it is because no bus stops for you, no station welcomes you, and no ramp exists to help you.
This is the daily reality for millions of disabled Pakistanis, who are neglected and actively excluded by our public transport system. Public transport in Pakistan has long been broken, but for persons with disabilities, it was never built at all. Cracked sidewalks, buses without ramps, overpasses without lifts, and the complete absence of accessible infrastructure silently send one message: your movement doesn’t matter.
In a country where mobility means opportunity, this exclusion aggravates poverty levels, isolation, and despair. It is a national failure of design, of policy, and of empathy. When disabled individuals, particularly women and the poor, are denied access to the city itself, we deny them the right to live fully and with dignity. Economic growth cannot be called inclusive if it leaves people behind at the bus stop. Pakistan must honour its commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through making accessibility an absolute must. Low-floor buses, ramps, audio-visual cues, and inclusive planning are overdue necessities. The question is simple: will we continue to build cities only for the able-bodied, or will we finally include those who have been kept waiting far too long?
Tania Shahjahan
Kamber Ali Khan, Sindh
