Special Assistant to PM on Law & Justice/ MoS Mr. Ashtar Ausaf Ali has said that government take full cognizance of the Rights of Persons with Special needs and it has created the Treaty Implementation Cell (TIC) under the Ministry of Law & Justice to honor the International Conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He said this while addressing as Chief Guest at Policy Dialogue on ‘Towards a Disability-Inclusive Post-2015 Development Framework: Pakistan Perspective’ at the observance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities here in Islamabad on Thursday.
Mr. Ashtar Ausaf Ali has said at this occasion that government is committed for ensuring that Pakistan is a free, just and accommodating place for each and every one of its citizens, especially those who have special needs. He informed the audience that presents government under the directives of Prime Minister has taken numerous special initiatives and measures for facilitations of the persons with special needs which includes revival of 2% jobs quota reserved for employment of disabled persons in all government department which can be extended to private sector as well. The government is also in the process of streamlining and thus augmenting various programmes involved in free vocational trainings, financial assistance and support for medical treatment provided to disabled persons via programmes such as Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and Benazir Income Support Programme.
He informed the audience that the Annual Plan 2014-15, as developed by Planning Commission, had made a comprehensive effort at diagnosing the issues and challenges faced by persons with disabilities, along with strategic priorities to close the gap on an immediate basis; as much is a major consideration of Vision 2025, which intends to have enacted disability-access in building across the country, as well as a programme for sponsor intervention.
Mr. Ashtar Ausaf Ali has emphasized that society as a whole needs to be educated about its attitude towards persons with special needs. It is the need of hour to create an enabling broader environment which includes work-place facilitation; easy physical-access, attitudes, mindset, and a social preconditioning that may enable and help the persons with special needs to live a normal life. Better awareness and education can change social attitudes and mindset towards persons with special needs, the SAPM concluded.
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