Islamabad: The Chairman, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Mr Absar Alam said that the people with disabilities are not weak but only disadvantaged, which make them much stronger than normal people because they are putting in more efforts to survive. He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Road Safety’ to observe ‘International Day for Persons with Disabilities’. The seminar was arranged by the Inspector-General and all-ranks of the National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP) in Hamid Shakeel Shaheed Auditorium in H-8/2 Tuesday morning. “What we need to do is to extend a bit of assistance to the people with disabilities which will enable them overcome their shortcomings of any sort. But most important is to be careful and considerate towards the children with any form of disability,” the PEMRA Chairman said. “They particularly need more attention and they have the abilities to learn and cope with situations faster than the grownups. These persons with disabilities can be turned into a productive part of the society with the latest techniques and modern education system developed especially for them,” Mr Absar Alam said. The Inspector-General NH&MP, Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, while speaking on the occasion said that he had a lot of confidence in the abilities of the persons with disabilities, particularly children. “We are out there everywhere to extend whatever help or assistance the people with disability may need or ask for. All of us in the NH&MP wanted to observe the day along with the world on 3rd of December. But that being the holiday, we have arranged this programme today,” the IG NH&MP said. “I have a lot of confidence in the abilities of people with disabilities. That is why we have already sent our recommendations for issuing driving licenses to the people with speech and hearing impairments. In many countries people suffering with this kind of disability are being issued driving licenses and that we intend to do here in Pakistan as well. As soon as our recommendations would be approved by the government and necessary amendments in the laws are made, we will start issuing driving licenses to the people suffering with speech and hearing disability,” Dr Syed Kaleem Imam said. While talking to ‘The News’, Dr Syed Kaleem Imam said that the NH&MP is implementing the government decision to allocate 2 per cent quota for persons with disabilities in employment. “Though the number of employees with disabilities in NH&MP may not be as it should have been in accordance with the quota in jobs allocated for them but still there are at least 4 persons with disabilities employed in the NH&MP,” the IG NH&MP said. On the occasion children from the Shani Welfare Trust and HIC, suffering from speech and hearing disability, presented a lovely skit under the guidance of their teachers, which was profusely applauded by the audience. At the end the PEMRA Chairman and the IG NH&MP presented souvenirs to the children and their teachers and social workers engaged in welfare of persons with disabilities. Other prominent present on the occasion were DIG North Zone Abbas Ahsan, AIG Najeeb ur Rehman, AIG Asghar Ali, zonal commanders, sector commanders & other senior officers.
