KARACHI - Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab said on Saturday it was one of the top priorities of the Sindh government to protect rights of the disabled in the province.
He expressed these views while addressing a seminar on the International Disability Day. Relevant officials of the Sindh government were also present on the occasion
Addressing the participants, Wahab said the government considers the children with disabilities as differently-abled children. He said the Sindh government was well aware of the rights as well measures needed to protect rights of the differently-abled children and their well being. The adviser said the Sindh government believed in leaving no one behind and that people with disabilities can also contribute to sustainable development in the society.
The adviser mentioned that the Sindh government in its sincere efforts passed a significant disability law for special persons. He said that almost all the incapacities have been included and defined in detail in the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The adviser was of the view that the Bill follows a right-based approach stressing equality of opportunity. Following the Act the special persons in the province shall have the right to inclusive education at all levels and in all public and private institutions. Elucidating further details the Adviser said that the Act also addresses the problem of early identification and prevention of disabilities by ensuring implementation of the Sindh Newborn Screening Act, and increasing the capacity of provincial health workers.
The Adviser said that the Sindh government in its efforts to provide quality health services to the people facing mental as well as physical incapacities has established trauma centres in various parts of the province and soon these trauma centres will be established in all the districts of the province. He specifically mentioned the functioning and the services of the Autism Centre established in Karachi in the recent past by the Sindh government for wellbeing of the especially able children of the province. He also mentioned the services of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation established at Dow University of Health Sciences in this regard.
The Adviser vowed that no person will be deprived of his personal liberty only on ground of disabilities. He said that the Sindh government is taking all the necessary legal and administrative steps, including appropriate changes in the existing laws, to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the right of equality guaranteed under the constitution.
Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan while addressing the seminar appreciated the gesture shown the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah as he told the audience that the chief minister handed over a cheque of 25 million rupees to the Karachi Vocational Training Centre for assistance of special persons in less than 10 days time. He lauded the efforts of Sindh government in this regard.
