Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has given a commendable ruling by allowing differently abled people’s recruitment on open merit in addition to the quota reserved for disabled persons. This particular case came under spotlight during the hearing of a petition of a visually impaired teacher on Wednesday. In his ruling, LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah declared unconstitutional the Punjab government’s recruitment policy for disabled people and directed it to reframe the policy. In the wake of ongoing discrimination against differently abled persons, this judgment can only be welcomed. The physically disabled people also deserve to be mainstreamed and given equal opportunities so that they could feel confident and play their part in the prosperity and progress of Pakistan. There is a need to encourage a better understanding of people affected by a disability, together with helping to make other people more aware of the rights, dignity and welfare of disabled people, as well as raise awareness about the benefits of integrating disabled persons into every aspect of life, from economic to political, social and cultural.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than a billion people in the world today experience disability. These people generally have poorer health, lower education achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty. This is largely due to the barriers they face in their everyday lives, rather than their disability. In Pakistan too, disabled persons live miserable lives due to lesser opportunities in various spheres of life. Besides the failure on part of the government to introduce specific laws regarding rights of disabled persons, it has failed to get implement the already enacted laws. A lot more needs to be done for disabled population in Pakistan. Disabled persons need empathy not sympathy. Persons with some sort of disability need to be made a part of society so that they can contribute positively through their talents with which they are bestowed by God after they are deprived of a specific physical ability.

It is very unfortunate that in our country disabled persons face jeers, sneers and often face discrimination. In the recent past, the blind were seen protesting for their rights on the roads in Lahore when they held a rally urging the government to provide them jobs. However, they were brutally tortured by the police. Government needs to acknowledge these persons’ contribution to society and provide them with equal rights which they deserve. The disabled need special care and attention rather than being assigned to a ‘handicapped’ category. Society needs to be educated to make space for them rather than constantly being reminded of their limitations.

It is necessary to encourage a humane and caring society, one that treats people with disabilities like any other citizen. It is time to move beyond a three percent quota for the disabled only; we need to create an environment that includes them in the social life of the nation. *