Disabled student seeks help to establish schools, hospitals in Fata

15-year-old Irfanullah lost his legs in Parachinar bomb blast

PESHAWAR: A disabled student on Saturday asked the government and non-governmental organisations to help him establish hospitals and schools for the physically handicapped people in tribal areas.

Irfanullah, 15, who lost his legs in a bomb blast in Parachinar, the administrative headquarters of Kurram Agency, was declared the Youth Ambassador of the Pakistan Red Crescent Fata.

Talking to The News, he recalled that he was injured in a bomb blast in Parachinar on July 25, 2011 when he was returning from school.

“I was taken to the MSF Hospital in Hangu district where my legs were amputated as there was no major hospital in Kurram Agency,” he recalled.

Irfanullah said he wanted to serve the disabled students instead of leading a miserable life. “I want to complete my education and serve the humanity,” he maintained.

He lamented that the politicians, political administration and elected representatives made tall claims, but didn’t anything practical for the welfare of the disabled students.

Working against all odds, he said he collected data about disabled students and registered 700 physically handicapped pupils in lower Kurram Agency.

He also established the Kurram Union of Special Persons (KUSP).

He said he was the president of KUSP while his uncle, Ahmad Jan Saddiqui, who was injured in the same blast, was its patron-in-chief.

Young Irfanullah said the government was spending millions of rupees monthly on running the Fata Secretariat, but the officials at the Social Welfare Department didn’t consider them disabled.

He said the relevant department was least bothered to work for the welfare of the disabled persons. “Rather the funds are being spent on luxuries,” he alleged.

“I have collected the data of 700 disabled students. They have filled out the forms and I will submit them to the concerned department,” he added.

He said that only Assistant Political Agent Rahimullah Mehsud supported and encouraged him while others created hurdles for him.

He maintained that there were more than 2,000 disabled persons in Kurram Agency alone.

He alleged that concerned officials were reluctant to issue them disability cards.

Irfanullah said he held meetings with heads of private educational institutions seeking admission for disabled students.

He said former president General Ziaul Haq had reserved two percent quota for the disabled, but the decision was not being implemented in government educational institutions.

Irfanullah said he held meetings with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and chief minister when he was declared the Youth Ambassador of Pakistan Red Crescent Fata but they were yet to honour the pledges made to him despite the passage of seven months. 

“I want the establishment of Special Education Centres and hospitals in every tribal agency. I will continue to strive for it,” he said.

The confident Irfanullah said he would appear in the Central Superior Services examination to become an officer.

Deploring the apathy of the PTI-led KP government, he recalled that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif immediately released Rs0.5 million to the Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation for his treatment when his application was submitted to him.

He thanked Shahbaz Sharif and former governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan for bearing the expenses of his education up to matriculation.

Irfanullah, who uses crutches to walk, asked what would have been the feelings of the rulers if their own children were disabled.

He said the entire world supported Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, but didn’t heed the plight of innocent children in Fata.