International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed

PESHAWAR: Various functions were held as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was marked on Tuesday.

In the provincial capital, a function was held in the Peshawar Press Club by Al-Khidmat Foundation of Jamaat-e-Islami. Several people including women and children were given wheelchairs for free on the occasion. In Mansehra, a programme was organised at the Helping Hands Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences where students presented melodrama to highlight issues faced by the PWDs. Speaking on the occasion, Principal Dr Karamat Khan, district officer, Social Welfare Department, Abdul Rasheed Khan and head of Rehabilitation Science Department Dr Peerzada Khattak said that society should also be inclusive with PWDs.

In another programme organised by Pakistan Association of the blinds presented skits and songs at the Government Higher Secondary School for Boys in Baffa to highlight issued related to PWDs.

TIMERGARA: The Lower Dir district administration arranged a public forum for persons with disabilities here at the office of Sada Foundation at Chaman Abad Andheri. Lower Dir Deputy commissioner Saadat Hassan, Timergara Assistant Commissioner Shah Jamil Khan, assistant director local government and rural development department (LG&RDD), Lower Dir Muhammad Mamoon Nawaz, president, Sada Foundation Khursheed Alam, district youth officer Izharuddin and a number of persons with disabilities from all parts of the district were present on the occasion.

KOHAT: The day was marked here. Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Nawaz Khan was the chief guest on the occasion. The heads of some of the line-departments were also present on the occasion.

GHALLANAI: The Sports and Culture Department and PRCS in the coordination of various departments and Youth Exhibition arranged 12 stalls for the Special Persons in Shaheed Cap Roohullah Sports Stadium in Ghallanai, headquarters of Mohmand tribal district. Speaking on the occasion, AC Waseem Akhtar urged the audience to help the special persons to come forward as they had own status in the society.

BARA: MNA Iqbal Afridi, MPA Shafique Afridi inaugurated the festival organised for the special persons. Directors Sports for the merged areas Muhammad Nawaz was also present on the occasion. The MNA said that the government was also exploring sports opportunities for the people with disabilities so that they could not feel inferiority complex.

KHAR: The function was organised for the Special Persons in Yousafabad village. Jamaat-e-Islami ameer for tribal districts Sardar Khan was the chief guest on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said that there were 7,000 disabled persons in Bajaur district and there was no special educational complex for them. They said that the disabled persons were also a part of the society and it was their responsibility to give respectable status in society. They added that their problems should also be resolved on a priority basis.

HANGU: The day was also observed here at the office of the District Social Welfare Officer. A number of disabled persons along with family members attended the function.

Speaking on the occasion, SWO Hussain Khattak said that there were 6600 registered disabled persons in the district and the government had been paying them Rs5000 stipend annually. He said that the high-ups would be asked to enhance the stipend for the special persons, besides other sports activities should also be launched for them.