Ensuring rights: LHC seeks reports on quota for disabled

IGP submits report over police action against blind protesters in Lahore.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought detailed reports from the federal and provincial governments over the implementation of 2 per cent job quota policy for disabled people.

The court directed the governments to file reports till December 24.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the LHC issued the order while hearing a petition filed against the police action against blind protesters during a demonstration  on The Mall earlier this month.

Judicial Activism Panel chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique had filed the petition.

In his reply, inspector general of police (IGP) stated that an SHO and an ASI, accused of manhandling the protesters, had been suspended from duty and a departmental inquiry had been launched against them.

The petitioner said that the police action against disabled people who were taking out a peaceful rally was a cognisable offence under the Pakistan Penal Code and a violation of the Constitution.

He said action should be taken against all officials responsible for it.

“The federal and Punjab governments should be directed to implement the policy of 2 per cent quota for disabled people in all appointments,” he said.

He requested the court to examine the appointments made by the federal and provincial governments over 10 years to check whether the quota for disabled people had been implemented.

He recommended that Rs30,000 each should be paid to disabled people for as long as they were jobless.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2014.