Alvi for implementing disability job quota

President Dr Arif Alvi called for the implementation of the disability quota for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in public and private sector jobs to make them financially independent.

The president, in a follow-up meeting on a framework for the classification of disabilities, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday said that almost 12-14% of Pakistan’s population suffered from some form of disability and the government and private sector needed to provide them employment for their financial empowerment.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Human Rights and the government of Pakistan.

The president said that disability quota should be implemented as per its actual spirit, adding that chambers of commerce and industries, banks, multi-national corporations, trade bodies, and other private sector organisations needed to employ differently-abled people (DAPs) as per their skill sets and nature of disabilities.

He said that Pakistan must focus on providing DAPs with skill-based education to help them secure jobs and ensure their inclusion in mainstream socio-economic activities.

President Alvi highlighted the need to develop close coordination among relevant stakeholders to impart skills to PWDs as per their special needs as well as market requirements. He underscored that training institutions and relevant government organisations should accelerate their efforts to equip PWDs with marketable skills and link them with potential employers in the private sector to provide them with suitable jobs per their skills and quota.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2023.