Courage under fire: ‘Before I could identify the metal object, it blew up’
Victims narrate stories at event to mark International Day of People with Disabilities.
MINGORA/PESHAWAR:
Before Aminullah could identify the round metal object he had just picked up; it blew up. The 17-year-old lost both hands in the landmine explosion.
A native of Khar in Bajaur Agency, Aminullah was attending a programme to mark International Day of People with Disabilities at the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Science (PIPOS) on Wednesday.
The boy said he was rushed to the hospital by the Frontier Corps and later taken to PIPOS. He added he had no idea it was a landmine otherwise he would never have touched it. Aminullah said a number of Bajaur’s residents fell victim to landmines, adding most of them now use artificial limbs.
Hazratullah, 14, a resident of Sur Kamar in Jamrud, Khyber Agency was also attending the event. He sustained severe injuries in a blast after school. He was waiting for a bus when he happened to be at the wrong place at the worst time.
“I have been using an artificial limb since 2012, but now I need a new one as the length of my left leg has increased,” the teenager said. During his address on the occasion, International Committee of the Red Cross Peshawar sub-delegation head Xavier Collard said more than 18,000 had been treated at PIPOS.
He added victims of landmines across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were provided financial aid and ICRC was assisting PIPOS in treating people born with disabilities such as clubfoot—a condition that takes around four to five years to recover from.
A total of 12 centres are currently functional in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in different districts including Balakot, Swabi, DI Khan, Mansehra, Buner, Timergara and Swat, said PIPOS Managing Director Azizullah. Earlier, wheelchair and bicycle races were held among differently-abled people and the winners were then given prizes.
Occasion marked in Matta
Social activists and civil society organisations arranged an event to highlight the rights of differently-abled people in Matta.
The event was called Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities. It was organised by Umong Special Education School along with the Sarhad Rural Support Programme. Hundreds of locals were in attendance along with officials of the district administration.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Special Persons Development Association District President Muhammad Yousaf pointed out that despite the large number of differently-abled people, society at large failed to see their problems.
“However, the support from non-governmental organisations is worth appreciating,” he said. “Recently, 5,000 children with disabilities were rehabilitated in Swat by these organisations.”
According to the Social Welfare department’s statistics, more than 40,000 people with disabilities live in Swat. Of those, 14,000 are in Matta tehsil alone. “There is a severe need to raise awareness among communities. I am happy that communities in Matta tehsil have started realising the problems of people with disabilities and are taking a keen interest,” Umong Special Education School Director Naeem Sultan Khan said.
He added there were no facilities in any office or building for differently-abled people. “Even the 2% quota of government jobs has not been implemented for them,” Khan pointed out.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2014.
Before Aminullah could identify the round metal object he had just picked up; it blew up. The 17-year-old lost both hands in the landmine explosion.
A native of Khar in Bajaur Agency, Aminullah was attending a programme to mark International Day of People with Disabilities at the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Science (PIPOS) on Wednesday.
The boy said he was rushed to the hospital by the Frontier Corps and later taken to PIPOS. He added he had no idea it was a landmine otherwise he would never have touched it. Aminullah said a number of Bajaur’s residents fell victim to landmines, adding most of them now use artificial limbs.
Hazratullah, 14, a resident of Sur Kamar in Jamrud, Khyber Agency was also attending the event. He sustained severe injuries in a blast after school. He was waiting for a bus when he happened to be at the wrong place at the worst time.
“I have been using an artificial limb since 2012, but now I need a new one as the length of my left leg has increased,” the teenager said. During his address on the occasion, International Committee of the Red Cross Peshawar sub-delegation head Xavier Collard said more than 18,000 had been treated at PIPOS.
He added victims of landmines across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were provided financial aid and ICRC was assisting PIPOS in treating people born with disabilities such as clubfoot—a condition that takes around four to five years to recover from.
A total of 12 centres are currently functional in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in different districts including Balakot, Swabi, DI Khan, Mansehra, Buner, Timergara and Swat, said PIPOS Managing Director Azizullah. Earlier, wheelchair and bicycle races were held among differently-abled people and the winners were then given prizes.
Occasion marked in Matta
Social activists and civil society organisations arranged an event to highlight the rights of differently-abled people in Matta.
The event was called Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities. It was organised by Umong Special Education School along with the Sarhad Rural Support Programme. Hundreds of locals were in attendance along with officials of the district administration.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Special Persons Development Association District President Muhammad Yousaf pointed out that despite the large number of differently-abled people, society at large failed to see their problems.
“However, the support from non-governmental organisations is worth appreciating,” he said. “Recently, 5,000 children with disabilities were rehabilitated in Swat by these organisations.”
According to the Social Welfare department’s statistics, more than 40,000 people with disabilities live in Swat. Of those, 14,000 are in Matta tehsil alone. “There is a severe need to raise awareness among communities. I am happy that communities in Matta tehsil have started realising the problems of people with disabilities and are taking a keen interest,” Umong Special Education School Director Naeem Sultan Khan said.
He added there were no facilities in any office or building for differently-abled people. “Even the 2% quota of government jobs has not been implemented for them,” Khan pointed out.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2014.