Differently-abled people demand rights promised in legislations

Activists say laws passed by province, Centre remain in books only

HYDERABAD:

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) on Sunday demanded their due rights enshrined in the legislations passed by the Sindh Assembly as well as the National Assembly.

"Around 35 million people in Pakistan, almost 15 per cent of the total population, are victim of one or another disability, out of these nine million live in Sindh and 250,000 in Hyderabad, said Hands Independent Living Center Project Coordinator Lal Muhammad Baloch.

He said that the federal and provincial governments' legislation for the rehabilitation and rights of disabled persons is a positive development, however, to empower the disabled, they need to be represented at all levels.

He expressed these views while holding a press conference in a wheelchair along with PWDs rights activists Maru Bheel, Zarina Rani, Zarina Chandio, Muskan Kumari and Bilal at the Hyderabad Press Club.

He said that the National Assembly has passed the Pakistan Disability Act and the Sindh Assembly has passed the Sindh Disability Act about disabled people. The Sindh government has also established a Ministry for empowerment of persons with disabilities, but despite this, the Sindh Disability Act has not been fully implemented in Sindh. Even now, persons with disabilities are being ignored in job quotas, including reserved seats.

Baloch demanded the creation of a national framework for empowerment and inclusion of PWDs, the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Protection Authority was established under Section 28 of the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018. However, in its current structure, there is no representation of persons with disabilities. In order to eliminate this prejudice and achieve real empowerment, it is necessary to include persons with disabilities in such institutions.