Daily Times

KARACHI: ‘It takes a great deal of courage to live life and perform every day chores while being physically disabled and the efforts of people who work to make the world beautiful for disabled people should be commended.’

This was said by Begum Sharmeen Murad Ali Shah, wife of Sindh chief minister (CM) on Monday. Begum Shah expressed her support for the handicapped and disabled people in an awareness session which was organised by Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IPM&R) to mark the International Day of people with Disabilities. The session was held at Arag Auditorium, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

Dow University vice chancellor Mohammed Saeed Quraishy, director of IPM&R Nabila Soomro, additional director Syed Imran Ahmed and parents of children with different disabilities spoke in the awareness session. The session began with a practical demonstration of disabled people and children playing cricket, football and different other games.

Professor Mohammad Saeed Quraishy said that World Day of people with disabilities was an International observance day, first observed in 2008, to promote an understanding of disability issues. “We started celebrating this day in 2011to promote the rights and the well-being of the people with disability. The Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Dow University of Health Sciences cater to the needs of 20, 000 to 25, 000 people with disabilities all over Pakistan but the government should establish more institutions like this for multidisciplinary rehabilitation services,” said Quraishy.

He further said that protecting the rights of people with disabilities in social, political, cultural and economic aspects of life was the core responsibility of government and civil society. “Even the buildings are not constructed properly by law which makes it difficult for the crippled people to walk into them,” pointed out Quraishy during the session.

Mother of a child with autism also shared her experiences during the session. Zaeem’s mother told the audience what she had gone through two and a half year ago when she found out that her son, Zaeem had autism. She said that her child was treated at DUHS and within one and a half year he was able to perform daily routinely activities.

At the end of the session, additional director Syed Imran Ahmed thanked chief guest and the audience for participating in the awareness session. The program was concluded by Professor Mohammad Saeed Quraishy presenting a shield as a token of remembrance to Begum Sharmeen Murad Ali Shah. Pro-vice chancellor of Dow University Professor Khawar Saeed Jamali, DUHS registrar Dr Amanullah Abbasi, Dow Medical College principal Kartar Dawani and a huge crowd of students attended the awareness session.

Published in Daily Times, December 4^th 2018.