DEPD asks blind persons to follow legal procedure for jobs

In relation to the ongoing protest of blind persons outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) Secretary Tauha Ahmed Faruqui has said DEPD officials recently held two meetings with the Blind Action Committee (BAC), representing a section of blind persons.

Faruqui said the committee demanded 500 regular government jobs for blind persons in accordance with a list they intended to provide. He said the committee was informed that the DEPD is also being approached by other representative bodies of disabled persons for jobs, and their demands also need to be considered in accordance with the law.

The BAC was again apprised that according to the legal requirements and directives of the honourable court, jobs in grades 1 to 4 are to be provided through the district recruitment committee (DRC) concerned, he added.

He also said the BAC was informed that they need to submit their applications to the DRCs, as and when announced by the DRCs concerned, for consideration and finalisation in accordance with the job quota.

However, he added, the BAC was adamant about their demand of providing jobs to the 500 persons whose list was to be provided by them, without going through the legal/DRC procedure.

The DEPD secretary lamented that they threatened to hold a sit-in outside the KPC with extended participation and marching on the Sindh Chief Minister House if their demand for providing 500 jobs outright is not met.

He said the provincial government had provided 156 jobs to blind persons on a contingent basis last year, advising them to apply to the DRC concerned for regular jobs. A sizeable number of blind persons and other disabled persons has been provided regular jobs through DRCs, he added.

He also said that for the greater welfare of blind persons, the government, through the DEPD, has been extending grant-in-aid to non-governmental organisations working for the cause of blind persons in the province, like the Pakistan Association of the Blind, the Pakistan Disabled Foundation and Ida Rieu Welfare Association. Moreover, free braille courses are provided to blinds persons, he added.

Faruqui said the definition of disabled quota covers different categories of disabilities, and is not restricted to blind persons only. However, he said, blind persons are equally deserving of employment against the job quota.

For meeting their demand, the BAC is again being requested to adopt the course of legal procedure and submit their applications for jobs to the respective DRCs, he added.

The provincial government will continue to strive for the well-being of disabled persons, including blind persons, and make every possible effort to meet their lawful demands, the DEPD secretary concluded.