NA urged to pass bill on PWDs

Ex-senator calls for documenting disabled, displaced by conflict

ISLAMABAD:

The lower house of Parliament on Wednesday was urged to pass a law on the rights of people living with disabilities (PLWDs) in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), while data about them should be compiled while recognizing those who have been rendered disabled by conflicts and displacements.

These thoughts were expressed as a study on the "Inclusion of Persons Living with Disabilities in the Social, Cultural, Political and Institutional Arena of Pakistan” was launched by the Potohar Mental Health Organisation (PMHA) on Wednesday.

The report compiled findings on the barriers faced by PLWDs across the country.

While there are similarities in how PLWDs are treated in different parts of the country, but there are some variations in the laws passed by provincial governments.

The report noted that the law passed by Sindh is the most comprehensive out of all those passed in the country. It also appreciated the reminders from the judiciary that the PLWDs be addressed properly.

It suggested that a bill pending in the NA in this regard should learn from experiences and come up with an inclusive, but the singular definition of PLWDs otherwise, different departments will be left to interpret it on their own.

Former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the report makes a significant point about disabilities which have come to light during over the past two decades or so, those caused by internal conflicts and displacements — particularly of women and children.

Unfortunately, we live in a state of denial, Babar said, adding that landmines continue to explode now and then in tribal districts. Moreover, he said that displacements caused by internal migration are not even acknowledged let alone documented.

“This is an area that needs to be looked into more closely so that effective strategies can be made to tackle it,” he said.

Zafrullah Khan, a civic educator, said that the timing of this publication coincides with a landmark judgment by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court on July 14, 2020, in which it ordered the federal and provincial governments to discontinue the usage of pejorative words which offend the dignity of people such as ‘disabled’, ‘physically handicapped’ and ‘mentally retarded’ in official correspondence, directives, notifications and circulars etc.

“Interestingly the points flagged in this study have also been elaborated at length in this historic judgment. This can provide an impetus for long-awaited reforms,” he said.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Secretary General Harris Khalique hoped that the state would take the study seriously and ensure equal participation, inclusion, representation and opportunities for PLWDs.

Earlier, sharing findings, Zulqurnain Asghar said that the government should ensure that needs of PLWDs are taken care of in new infrastructure projects.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2020.