MULTAN, Oct 21st:Lack of adequate disabled-friendly facilities has acted as bigger roadblock than their condition itself and prevented them from making valuable contributions to the society. A lot needs to be done with regards to revamping public infrastructure like foot-bridges, trains, buses and offices and thus guarantee them a comfortable lifestyle,said Romana Tanvir Sheikh Senior Vice President of MCCI when she visited the office of Society for Special persons here today.She was warmly accorded by Zahida Hameed Qureshi, Afifa Shehzad, Arif Iqbal and Arif Anwar .She said that population of disabled people in the world is about 15 per cent of the world population. Disability is a broader term and encompasses people with limited mobility, activity limitation or hearing and vision impairment. Sidra Khalid Cheema said As per Census 2011, nearly 2.18 crore people in Pakistan are disabled. Nothing has dampened the indomitable spirit of people with disabilities as much as their inaccessibility to proper infrastructure. .The Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both are intended towards securing the rights of persons with disability and providing them equal access. However, a lot needs to be done with regards to revamping public infrastructure like foot-bridges, trains, buses and offices and thus guarantee them a comfortable lifestyle. She said that according to National Building Code, it is mandatory for all public places, not only airports and railway stations, to provide accessibility for disabled people. Encroached spaces, raised kerbs and bumpy pavements are some hurdles that restrict mobility of such people on the streets.Assistive Technology: Solution Persons with physical disability mostly depend on special devices designed to augment, maintain or enhance their functional capabilities. Inclusion of such technologies in the public infrastructure is one positive step towards helping disabled people lead a convenient, safe and independent life.Khurram Shehzad,Secretary General of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry also with them.
