Abdullah Khan: A star on the rise

Polio stricken national paralympic table tennis champ urges people to immunise their children before it’s too late


Asad Zia October 24, 2014

PESHAWAR:


Polio may be a crippling disease, but it hasn’t stopped 17-year-old Abdullah Khan from being an ace student or winning a gold medal in table tennis at the fourth National Paralympics in May this year.


When he was just three, Abdullah fell victim to polio and consequently lost the use of both legs. However, he does not consider his condition a handicap. “Sometimes, a disabled person can be more talented than the common man in a particular sphere of life,” Abdullah told The Express Tribune.

Born to an economically disadvantaged family in Ganj in Peshawar, Abdullah was born in 1997 and spent most of his time at home. He has five brothers and six sisters and is a 10th grade student at the Special Education Complex in the city, just a few years behind his peers. Most children with physical disabilities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas do not go to school or even out of their houses, said Abdullah. He elaborates some parents have no interest in getting these children educated, while some of those with disabilities feel embarrassed to be the ones to stand out in a crowd.

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Abdullah has five class fellows, of which three have polio. The teenager urged people to get their children immunised before it’s too late. “The region lacks facilities for us”, he added. “But I have no regrets over my handicap; I must function as the rest do.”

The Special Education Complex is the only institution for children with disabilities. Data from the institute shows over 500 of the 600 enrolled children from K-P and Fata have been affected by polio.

Abdullah is an incredibly bright and capable student, shared the director of the complex, Syed Sikander Jalal Qasim. “I will help him prepare for international table tennis competitions as he has the ability to shine on the world stage and make the country proud.” He requested parents to enrol their children in the free school to secure a brighter future for them.

For more stories on polio attacks, click here

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2014.

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