Noorudin.S.Bhamani (PWD)
President (Pakistan Chapter): World Association of Persons With Disabilities
President:
Awareness Voluntary Organization (DSW 3100-K)
134, Amynabad, Off Martin Road,
P.I.B Colony, Karachi - 74800.
Tel: Direct-34946615, 34132989, 34132988
Cell: 03002395615
03333043238
Fax:34132885

Earlier Mr. Abid Lashari congratulated winners and participants for their efforts and success. He informed that persons with disabilities have potential to play games, and participation in this kind of activities. Disabled people were deprived of equal opportunities. He thanked to Sindh Sports Board and District Government for their collaboration and cooperation.

Later on cash prizes and awards were distributed among winners and participants. Mr. Zulifqar Memon President Press Club, Mr. Muhammad Akram Jatt, Mr. Muslim Farooqui, Mr. Zahid Lashari, Mr. Noor Muhammad Sheikh and others were also present during the race competition.

BY: Abid Lashari
03003211876
Dated: 23rd March 2011

The groundbreaking training has been organized by Capital Independent Living Center (CILC) with the support of Asia Pacific Network of Independent Living (APNIL), in collaboration with National Forum of Women with Disabilities Pakistan (NFWWD) and Pakistan Disabled Peoples Organization (PDPO). The training was attended by 40 young women with disabilities from Karachi, Nawabshah, Lahore, Multan, Peshawer, Muzafergarh, Faisalabad, Bagh, Muzafarabad, Abbotabad and Islamabad. International recognized resource persons from South Asia Disability Forum, Disabled Peoples International Asia Pacific, Milestone Society and Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP).

Women with disabilities are disadvantaged in several key areas when compared with other women, men with disabilities, and the society as a whole. These women face a triple handicap and discrimination due to their disability, gender and developing world status. Keeping in the view that the range of abilities of persons within any disabilities group is enormous, we have a large number of women with disabilities in Pakistan who are taking part in the activities of daily life with courage. The issue of disability is gaining more and more importance all over the world as well as in Pakistan due the disability movement for a “rights based society” since almost two decades.

Government have framed various policies for PWDs with Disabled Persons Organizations, INGOs, NGOs and other disability stockholders which include reservation of jobs, concession facilities in travelling, special training institutions etc. The Government of Pakistan has made efforts to support the rights of Persons with Disabilities in the view of Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF) and National Policy on disability and now Pakistan has signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, despite these efforts, the sad fact is that most people with disabilities especially women with disabilities and their families remain completely un-served by government, NGOs and even in Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) persons with disabilities they often feel difficulty to live with dignity in their respective communities.

Through peer-counseling, peer-counselors can support them to deal with such anxiety by sharing their own experiences and give them confidence that every person has capacity to live independently. Since peer-counselors are PWDs who have similar experiences and they are facing same challenges, it put real significance. It provides a role model, who can serve as a link between the person seeking help and the service provider could also draw on a wide range of unique experiences which cannot be observed by anyone else. Disability movement in Pakistan is accelerating and rights of Persons with Disabilities are getting recognition. A good number of Persons with Disabilities have attended trainings from Japan and Thailand, got employment in mainstream organizations, receiving higher education and playing leading role in the society. Establishment of Independent Living Centers in Pakistan is a landmark which is disseminating information relating to Independent Living.

A similar training was conducted with Akiyama San from Human Care Association - Japan for women with disabilities, started first Peer-Support Group of WWDs in Pakistan. A unique characteristic of this training is that mentor of Independent Living Concepts in Pakistan will be Resource Persons. They are expected to proactively involve in lectures and workshops, and their self-reflection and their own experiences are considered to be valuable factors of PC training. This year training achieved following land marks:

The News

BUNER: Living with his eight member family, Sajid Ali Khan finally heaved a sigh of relief when he started his own garments and tailoring shop with a UNDP grant. He is one of many recipients of UNDP grants aiming to streamline the livelihood of conflict affected areas in Buner and Swat districts.
Khan is a young man of just 25 but had the misfortune of being born with a physical disability which led to the local community treating him like a pariah. “My father was shocked when the principal of a private school rejected my admission by saying ‘this lame boy will distort my school’s image’.”
Khan’s father insisted that the principal grant him admission but he refused. “Other schools were very far from my home and being physically impaired I could not attend them. I hate that man because he ruined my life by forcing me into darkness,” Khan said.
When he turned eight, his father got him a job as a tailor’s apprentice. “My boss was very kind to me as he himself was disabled. He was also a government teacher, and taught me the trade in
five years.”
The kindness of his employer led him to hand over his shop to Khan when he had learnt the craft completely. Since then, Khan has been working as a
tailor master.
But everything changed when Talibanisation engulfed Buner and Swat. Like many running businesses, Khan’s was also badly hit. “We migrated to Mardan and left behind everything. After returning home, my shop had been ransacked and I was left to the mercy of God.”
“Then one day some young men came to me and enlisted my name in a vulnerable persons list. They gave me a grant with which I bought new tailoring tools and some readymade garments,” he said, adding, “Today, with the grace of God, I can easily earn Rs500 per day.”
His shop in Sawaria Bazaar now also employs an extra artisan and an apprentice to maintain smooth operations. Though he is content with his life, he still hopes to expand his business.
He said with a gleam in his eyes, “If Sarhad Rural Support Programme and the United Nations Development Programme had not helped me in time, I could never have continued tailoring and would have lived a life
of pain.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2011.