Alvi distributes customised wheelchairs among PWDs

Says authentic data of differently-abled people necessary for providing them facilities

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Monday emphasised on the need for registration of differently-abled people for providing them better facilities.

“NADRA and Pakistan Baitul Mal should play their role in early registration of people with disabilities (PWDs),” President Alvi said addressing a ceremony for distribution of customised wheel chairs among PWDs.

The president said that the government had doubled the budget for Ehsaas programme despite a difficult economic situation. He added that the measure was taken in order to protect the vulnerable and weak segments of society.

Alvi said the society has a responsibility towards the welfare of PWDs giving them safe and easy access to health and education facilities besides public parks and buildings.

The president also called for strict implementation of five per cent job quota for PWDs in public sector organisations. He said the special persons should be provided with jobs in accordance with their disability.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Baitul Mal Chairman Aun Abbas said a programme was being started in 12 districts of the country to provide PWDs with customized wheelchairs and five other assistive devices. He said disabled persons would be able to receive wheelchairs, commensurate with their body size, delivered to their doorsteps within 15 days. He added that soon a mobile application would also be launched for this purpose.

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Earlier in the day, Alvi said physics can be best utilised to meet contemporary needs particularly related to energy, health and agriculture sectors.

"In age of fast-pace knowledge, a country can achieve real progress through application of science and technology in the interest of its society and people," the president said in his address at the inaugural session of 44th International Nathiagali Summer College at National Centre for Physics.

President Alvi said Pakistan was richly endowed with bright people in the field of science and technology and emphasised that it was the duty of the State to provide them an environment to further grow to meet modern day challenges. He mentioned the country's Nobel winning physicist Dr Abdul Salam for his immense contributions in the field of physics.

The president said increasing level of interaction with foreign institutions like European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Abdul Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (AS-ICTP) and Synchotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) would help Pakistan accelerate its process of transforming into a scientific hub.  He said Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was contributing to energy generation and expressed satisfaction that nuclear plants K2 and K3 would soon be linked with national grid. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2019.