Subsidy sought on wheelchairs
Civil society on Wednesday demanded of the government to announce subsidy on supporting devices for specially-abled people to make these accessible for the deserving persons. According to representatives of the civil society, equipment like wheelchair, sticks, listening instruments are much costly and many people with disabilities (PWDs) cannot purchase these items despite urgent need. They suggested that the government should waive off all taxes and announce complete exemption from all duties on import of these products. Zulqarnain Asghar, a social activist said that specially-abled need health care to stay well, active, and a part of the community, instead of taking no notice of these people they need special care and attention. He said that supporting equipment are very important for specially-abled people to live independent but if they are out of reach for disable people than it means that “we are pushing back the disable people in race of life.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2020.