Lahore - a city devoid of structure for differently-abled persons
LDA has issued instructions to commercial plazas to provide wheelchair access
Muslims walk near the Badshahi mosque after attending a mass prayer for Eid al-Adha in Lahore, Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Every year, hundreds of billions of rupees are spent on construction and remodelling of new and existing roads and footpaths but the authorities have failed to develop even a single neighbourhood or city road which is differently-abled persons-friendly.
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has recently directed the owners of high-rise buildings, commercial plazas and managements of public buildings to provide wheelchair access in their premises. The authority has also instructed them to provide specially designed toilets for differently-abled persons.
As per clause 5.3.2 of the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2019, the authority highlights, every high-rise building, commercial plaza add public building has to arrange for these amenities for facilitating easy access for special persons.
The authority has also warned violators of building plans approved by the LDA who had not so far provided these facilities and urged them to rectify these violations within seven days to avoid legal action against them by the authority.
Though some new and recently constructed private and public buildings have such amenities, out of their boundary walls the entire country is designed to discourage special persons to commute or move independently.
The Punjab government is spending Rs165 billion, including over Rs150 billion loan from China, on the construction of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project.
Earlier, the government spent over Rs30 billion on Lahore Metro Bus, but neither the metro bus nor metro train project is 100% disabled-friendly.
Most bus and train stations are elevated having access from raised footpaths which make them inaccessible for special persons.
During the previous regime former Convener of the OLMT project, Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, once in a project’s progress review meeting announced that the metro train project would be differently-abled persons friendly but this claim was yet to prove true as contractors working on the project highlight that they will construct ramps near metro train stations’ entrance.
Official data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed that the country has around 3.3 million disabled population, including visually impaired persons and those suffering from different other disabilities.
It showed that Punjab has the highest disabled population of 1.82 million, Sindh has over 929,400, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has 375,752, Balochistan has 146,421 and Islamabad 8,434.
A report titled: “Moving from the margins – Mainstreaming persons with disabilities in Pakistan”, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit for British Council indicates that official headcount of disabled person was doubtful. It estimated that the number of persons living with disabilities varies between 3.3 million and 27 million, depending on whether they are based on government statistics.
The report highlighted that Pakistan did make early attempts at facilitating persons with disabilities in the 1980s with the introduction of education and employment policies, setting up special schools for persons with disabilities, for example, and mandating businesses to employ persons with disabilities through a quota-based system. But although these were celebrated achievements in the early years, they proved to be ineffective in including persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities still have difficulty exercising their civil and political rights, attending quality schools and finding gainful employment, among other activities.
This ultimately means that they are being excluded as productive members of society, leading to economic losses of as much as $11.9b-15.4b, or 4.9-6.3% of Pakistan’s GDP.
It highlighted that globally, and in Pakistan, policy approaches to disability have largely been focused on rehabilitation, welfare hand-outs and related charity. This has been changing since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), which became operational in 2008.
The CRPD offers a blueprint for a rights-based approach to mainstreaming persons with disabilities. Pakistan ratified the treaty in 2011, but progress around building an inclusive society has been slow.
The report highlighted that Pakistan needs to move away from a culture of sympathy and pity. Although there is an overarching culture of sympathy for persons with disabilities and there is a desire to help, the focus continues to be on a charity or medical approach to disability. What is needed instead is a shift to a rights-based approach, which recognises that persons with disabilities should be empowered. Disability is a diversity that needs to be accepted.
It highlighted negative attitudes in society hamper finding a life partner, especially towards women. The legal framework is weak as far as protecting the rights of persons with disabilities is concerned.
It highlighted that Pakistan ratified the CRPD in 2011, but little has been done on part of the policies and strategies in line with the CRPD framework. Part of this is the result of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan of 2010, which devolved powers to the provinces.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2020.
Every year, hundreds of billions of rupees are spent on construction and remodelling of new and existing roads and footpaths but the authorities have failed to develop even a single neighbourhood or city road which is differently-abled persons-friendly.
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has recently directed the owners of high-rise buildings, commercial plazas and managements of public buildings to provide wheelchair access in their premises. The authority has also instructed them to provide specially designed toilets for differently-abled persons.
As per clause 5.3.2 of the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2019, the authority highlights, every high-rise building, commercial plaza add public building has to arrange for these amenities for facilitating easy access for special persons.
The authority has also warned violators of building plans approved by the LDA who had not so far provided these facilities and urged them to rectify these violations within seven days to avoid legal action against them by the authority.
Though some new and recently constructed private and public buildings have such amenities, out of their boundary walls the entire country is designed to discourage special persons to commute or move independently.
The Punjab government is spending Rs165 billion, including over Rs150 billion loan from China, on the construction of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project.
Earlier, the government spent over Rs30 billion on Lahore Metro Bus, but neither the metro bus nor metro train project is 100% disabled-friendly.
Most bus and train stations are elevated having access from raised footpaths which make them inaccessible for special persons.
During the previous regime former Convener of the OLMT project, Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, once in a project’s progress review meeting announced that the metro train project would be differently-abled persons friendly but this claim was yet to prove true as contractors working on the project highlight that they will construct ramps near metro train stations’ entrance.
Official data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed that the country has around 3.3 million disabled population, including visually impaired persons and those suffering from different other disabilities.
It showed that Punjab has the highest disabled population of 1.82 million, Sindh has over 929,400, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has 375,752, Balochistan has 146,421 and Islamabad 8,434.
A report titled: “Moving from the margins – Mainstreaming persons with disabilities in Pakistan”, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit for British Council indicates that official headcount of disabled person was doubtful. It estimated that the number of persons living with disabilities varies between 3.3 million and 27 million, depending on whether they are based on government statistics.
The report highlighted that Pakistan did make early attempts at facilitating persons with disabilities in the 1980s with the introduction of education and employment policies, setting up special schools for persons with disabilities, for example, and mandating businesses to employ persons with disabilities through a quota-based system. But although these were celebrated achievements in the early years, they proved to be ineffective in including persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities still have difficulty exercising their civil and political rights, attending quality schools and finding gainful employment, among other activities.
This ultimately means that they are being excluded as productive members of society, leading to economic losses of as much as $11.9b-15.4b, or 4.9-6.3% of Pakistan’s GDP.
It highlighted that globally, and in Pakistan, policy approaches to disability have largely been focused on rehabilitation, welfare hand-outs and related charity. This has been changing since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), which became operational in 2008.
The CRPD offers a blueprint for a rights-based approach to mainstreaming persons with disabilities. Pakistan ratified the treaty in 2011, but progress around building an inclusive society has been slow.
The report highlighted that Pakistan needs to move away from a culture of sympathy and pity. Although there is an overarching culture of sympathy for persons with disabilities and there is a desire to help, the focus continues to be on a charity or medical approach to disability. What is needed instead is a shift to a rights-based approach, which recognises that persons with disabilities should be empowered. Disability is a diversity that needs to be accepted.
It highlighted negative attitudes in society hamper finding a life partner, especially towards women. The legal framework is weak as far as protecting the rights of persons with disabilities is concerned.
It highlighted that Pakistan ratified the CRPD in 2011, but little has been done on part of the policies and strategies in line with the CRPD framework. Part of this is the result of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan of 2010, which devolved powers to the provinces.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2020.