Govt to create barrier free environment for disabled
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—Caretaker Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education, Barrister Shahida Jamil said the government is committed to provide an enabling environment that would allow full realization of the potential of challenged persons through their inclusive mainstreaming.
In her message released on International Day of Disabled, the Caretaker Minister said the government has approved the National Plan of Action - 2006 to implement the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities provides for the creation of such facilities. In order to achieve this objective, the services are required to be designed in an integrated manner with the goal of full inclusion, she added.
Shahida Jamil said that empowerment of disabled persons to achieve the level of competencies and abilities require generating incoming leading to economic empowerment.
She said it is important to develop and implement employer incentives and strategies to move persons with disabilities into open employment and recognize that government, as a major employer should be a model employer with regard to the hiring, retention and advancement of workers with disabilities.
“It is the responsibility of both public and private sector organizations to ensure faithful implementation of the employment quota for the disabled”, Caretaker Minister added.
About international day, the Caretaker Minister said the day is celebrated throughout the world as an annual feature to homage and to show solidarity with children and persons with disabilities.
“Pakistan joins hands with the international community on this day in observing the International Day for the Disabled with the pledge that we redouble our efforts to provide equal opportunities to the persons with disabilities”, Shahida Jamil said.
She said the theme of the Day, “Decent Work for the Persons with Disabilities”, also reminds us to revitalize efforts for provision of education, vocational training, employment and an enabling environment for decent work for persons with disabilities both in the public and private sector.