Azerbaijan donates 100 wheelchairs
The Embassy of Azerbaijan gifted 100 customised wheelchairs to the differently-abled people of Pakistan at an event held at President House on Tuesday.
“The gift of wheelchairs is manifestation of the support the two countries give to the rights of people with disabilities,” said Azerbaijani Ambassador Ali Alizada.
He said the proposal by President Dr Arif Alvi to Azerbaijan for customised wheelchairs depicted his personal commitment to the welfare of the differently-abled people.
President said people with disabilities deserved access to education and employment as their “equitable right, and not as charity”.
“The state is responsible to transform the society in a way that it accepts and mainstreams the differently-abled persons in all segments of life,” the president said in his address at the wheelchair distribution ceremony.
President Alvi emphasised on adopting inclusive approach towards people with disabilities by providing them education at regular schools instead of secluding them at special institutes.
He said persons with physical, visual or hearing impairment could be easily absorbed into the normal school system, to be followed by targeted skilled training for their accommodation at workplace.
“It is time to shun the stereotype approach towards disabled persons and give them opportunities and access to facilities,” he said. He stressed proper implementation of 2.5 per cent differently-abled people quota in jobs and ensuring training through National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) for effective results.
The president mentioned that of the social welfare agenda initiated by him and his wife, the uplift of people with disabilities was a priority and ‘a subject close to their hearts’. He said the government under Ehsaas project had registered two million people with disabilities for disbursement of stipend, while banks had also launched schemes to offer loans for people with disabilities to carry out small and medium enterprises.
The President mentioned that the Chairman Capital Development Authority had assured him that all pavements in Islamabad would get ramps by March, besides 250 public parks to also become wheel-chair enabled in near future.
He said the government was working with the business community of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to make the market places for accessible for people with disabilities. He said a survey revealed that around 15 per cent of the population of Pakistan was suffering with different forms of disabilities, which needed to be given an access-friendly environment in buildings and public places.
He pointed that lack of facilities at public places forced the families to confine their differently-abled members at homes. The president extended sincere gratitude to Azerbaijan for gifting wheelchairs to the differently-abled people of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2020.