White Cane Day: Online library for the visually impaired to be launched soon, says association

Visually-impaired citizens ask for equal rights at a press conference on Monday.

KARACHI:

Muhammad Hussain stands tall holding on to a white cane for support.

He is one of many visually-impaired men who were present at Karachi Press Club on Monday representing Pakistan Association of the Blind (PAB). He was there to talk about the importance of observing 'White Cane Safety Day' on October 15.

While speaking at a joint press conference at the press club, Hussain said that they should implement the quota for the blind in government departments

He paid tribute to Dr Fatima Shah, who through her efforts had compelled General Ziaul Haq's government to approve a one-per-cent quota for the disabled in government departments - and this is how the special education department was inaugurated. He added that the quota was raised to two per cent by following governments - and then eventually to five per cent.



He claimed, however, that these policies and bills were never implemented. Hussain added that the seat for an MPA for the disabled was still vacant at the Sindh Assembly.

Hussain said that the white cane was a symbol for blindness and explained that it was not just a mobility tool but was also there to create awareness among drivers to drive cautiously.

Hussain also praised the Balochistan government's initiative where before acquiring a drivers' licence, the applicant should understand the importance of a white cane and urged the Sindh government to impose similar rules and regulations.

The president of PAB's Sindh chapter, Riaz Memon, said that disabled people had no representation in assemblies. He added that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 10 per cent of the world's population was visually-impaired. He claimed that keeping the WHO statistics in mind, nearly 10 per cent of Pakistan's population was deprived of their fundamental rights and had no representation in legislation.

He accused political parties of appointing people who were not competent to fill the quota. Memon said that teachers who had no knowledge of Braille had been appointed because of their political affiliations at 12 special schools in Sindh. He added that it was unfortunate there was no printing press for Braille books in the province.

PAB's Sindh President said that it was the state's responsibility to facilitate and provide basic rights to all citizens.

Computer genius and PAB teacher, Muhammad Shakeel, told the media about an online talking library for the visually disabled which would be launched soon. He said that the library will have several books - including fiction, non-fiction and course books.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.