Govt lists steps taken for people with disabilities. PHOTO: FILE
The federal government said on Saturday that the enforcement of fundamental rights of disabled people has become a provincial subject following the promulgation of 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The contention was made in its response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court by Advocate Raheel Kamran Sheikh on behalf of six disabled persons under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.
The government’s reply – a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune – also enumerates the different steps taken for the disabled people.
It says that the president has promulgated the Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation Ordinance 1981 to provide employment, rehabilitation and welfare to disabled persons. In terms of section 5 of the said ordinance, each provincial government shall establish a council to be called provincial council for rehabilitation of disabled persons. The function of such councils is to execute the policy for employment and welfare of disable persons and to undertake its projects.
“Section 12 of the said Ordinance provides that disabled persons must register their names in the employment exchange, which shall refer all names so registered to the provincial council. The provincial government shall assess the nature of this functional disability and also as to his aptitude and nature of work by a medical officer.”
It also pointed out that the federal government has allocated 1% quota for the appointment of disabled persons in each cadre/service on condition that his name is registered with the employment exchange of the area.
In the year 2000, it said, the federal government gave 10-year relaxation to disabled persons on appointment at posts in BS-15 and below.
“In 2005, the federal government has also undertaken to accommodate one child of a civil servant, who has become permanently disabled. Moreover, a civil servant can avail 720 days as disability leave on medical grounds.”
Talking to The Express Tribune, the applicants’ counsel Raheel Kamran Sheikh, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the federal government’s reply and said they had highlighted so many issues related to the rights of disabled persons but the government ignored those issues in its reply. He also lamented that despite the top court’s March 5 order, all the provincial governments had failed to submit their replies over the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2014.
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