Rights of persons with disabilities guaranteed in new law

Assembly passes Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Bill

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly passed eight bills on Thursday, including the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Bill.

Moving the bill, Parliamentary and Food Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said the government will ensure that every person with a disability will have the right to be respected for their individual dignity. He said that they have the right to lead a decent life with equal opportunities regarding the provision of education, skill training and rehabilitation services to participate in educational, social, economic, cultural spheres without any discrimination.

“No person will be deprived of their personal liberty only on the ground of disabilities,” the law reads, adding that the government will take all necessary legal and administrative steps, including appropriate changes in existing laws, to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the right of equality guaranteed under the Constitution.

According to the law, the government will endeavour that all educational institutions funded or recognised by it provide inclusive education to children with disabilities. “The government will establish an authority which will also conduct a survey of school-going children every three years to identify children with disabilities,” the law said, adding that the provincial government will formulate schemes and programmes, including provision of loans at concessional rates, to facilitate and support the employment of the person with disabilities.



Among others, the House passed the Sindh Coastal Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2018; the Government College University Hyderabad (Amendment) Bill, 2018; the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Human Resource Research and Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Ziauddin University Examination Board Bill, 2018.

Four other bills returned by the governor for reconsideration were also passed by the House. These bills  included Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University Sukkur Bill, 2018; the Shaikh Ayaz University Shikarpur Bill, 2018; the Sindh (Regularisation of Contract Employees of Khairpur Medical College Khairpur) Bill, 2018.

Meanwhile, five bills deferred by the House were the Societies Registration (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2015; the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Sindh Employees Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Sindh Institute of Traumatology Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Bill, 2017.

Assembly members belonging to the opposition and treasury benches criticised the malicious campaign started against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani on social media. When the session started, Durrani referred to a video that went viral on social media and said, “Some people have started propaganda that a large quantity of gold and billions of rupees have been confiscated from my home.” He said that the raid is being attributed to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which has also denied it and issued a clarification.

“I have been facing a media trial for the last few years and elements are targeting me and my family,” he lamented, adding that it is being claimed that a video of a house, originally recorded in Saudi Arabia, is his residence.

Durrani requested the media and other people to investigate and confirm news before running it on television and social media. “I will go to court against these people,” he threatened, adding that his family is one of the most well-reputed families in Sindh and they have never indulged in such practices that put their character at stake.



Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan, while condemning the video, demanded an impartial inquiry into it as well as action against the elements behind it. “Not only this House, but the whole of Sindh stands by you against this malicious campaign,” said Khuhro. Former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Pakistan Muslim League – Functional parliamentary leader Nand Kumar and provincial minister Manzoor Wasan also spoke on the occasion. “You are custodian of this House. A privilege motion can be moved against [this],” Shah suggested. Works and Services Minister Imdad Pitafi suggested taking the matter to the Federal Investigation Agency.

Adjournment motion against K-Electric

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman moved an adjournment motion against prolonged load-shedding by K-Electric in Karachi. He said that the power utility has made the lives of the citizens of the city miserable and many areas are without electricity for eight to 10 hours at a stretch. “This is an important issue and I request to discuss this matter in the House,” he asked the speaker.

Khuhro did not oppose it and said, “Load-shedding is an important issue and every member in this house wants to speak on it,” suggesting that the issue be debated on today (Friday).