Must be treated as normal and must not be isolated from society says minister
LAHORE: Disabled people, or more aptly differently-abled people, should be given special status in society. A disability is an impairment that may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of these. It substantially affects a person’s life activities and is often present from birth or occurs during a person’s lifetime.
Differently-abled people must be treated as normal and must not be isolated from society. Moreover, they must get equal rights in society. Interaction with differently-abled people should be as normal as it is with any other person — always offer to shake hands; treat adults like adults; don’t use a person’s first name until someone asks you to; don’t pat; don’t patronise; if you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted.
A festival was held to commemorate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities at PILAC on the 3rd of this month.
The Punjab information and culture minister expressed the resolve to provide equal opportunities for people with disabilities in the culture ministry, and announced that talented persons with disabilities would be given awards to acknowledge their achievements. This approach is quite commendable.
Dua Qasim
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2018.
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