Islamabad-The National Highways & Motorway Police (NH&MP) would facilitate deaf and dumb people in issuance of driving licences.

This was said by Deputy Inspector General NH&MP, N-5 North Zone, Ashraf Zubair Siddiqui while addressing a seminar, said a press release issued here yesterday.

The DIG informed the participants that issuance of licence to deaf and dumb people is prohibited in 26 countries of the world but NH&MP would facilitate deaf and dumb people in the issuance of driving licences and added that necessary directions in this regard have been passed on to the quarters concerned. He further said that special traffic signboards would be erected for the deaf and dumb people on national highways as well as motorways to facilitate and make their journey safe.

The seminar was arranged to impart road safety education amongst the deaf and dumb. Members from different deaf and dumb societies also participated in the seminar.

The DIG said that according to WHO survey, more than 1.25 million people are killed in road accidents every year where as 50 million get injured or become disabled. So considering it a dire need of the hour, national highways and motorway police took the responsibility to spread road safety education to every member of the society including deaf. The DIG added that special recommendations would be sent to the driving licensing authorities of all the provinces regarding issuance of driving licenses to deaf and dumb people as well as making the process easier for such special people. He said that NH&MP has specially designed a booklet for deaf and dumb containing road safety tips and messages. The DIG informed the participants that transporters would be briefed so that they give special treatment to these people while they are on road.