Daily Times

President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday called for implementation of the disability quota for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in public and private sector jobs to make PWDs financially independent.

The president, in a follow-up meeting on framework for classification of disabilities, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, said that almost 12-14% of Pakistan’s population suffered from some form of disability and the government and private sector needed to provide them employment for their financial empowerment.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Human Rights and the Government of Pakistan.

During the meeting, the president said that disability quota should be implemented as per its actual spirit, adding that chambers of commerce and industries, banks, multi-national corporations, trade bodies, and other private sector organizations needed to employ differently-abled people (DAPs) as per their skill sets and nature of disabilities.

He said that Pakistan must focus on providing DAPs with skill-based education to help them secure jobs and ensure their inclusion in the mainstream of socio-economic activities.

President Alvi highlighted the need to develop close coordination among relevant stakeholders to impart skills to PWDs as per their special needs as well as market requirements.

He underscored that training institutes and relevant government organizations should accelerate their efforts to equip PWDs with marketable skills and link them with potential employers in the private sector to provide them suitable jobs in accordance with their skills and quota.

He also urged the need to provide disability certificates to PWDs in a quick, easy and hassle-free manner enabling them to benefit from different schemes and facilities being offered by the government.

Director General/ Secretary of the Council on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Abdul Sattar, informed the meeting that CRPD in coordination with different federal ministries was working to ensure the implementation of the disability quota.

He apprised that the disability quota was being observed in the government sector whereas efforts were being made to ensure its greater implementation in the private sector.

The director general added that CRPD was working on a programme to provide skills to PWDs as per their disabilities and the needs of the employers.