Call for cohesive efforts to help disabled

All segments of the society in general and the philanthropists in particular should act in unison to play their due role for ensuring all facilities from education-to-job-placement to the disabled persons for making them an active member of the society.
This was the upshot of the speeches delivered at a seminar "Look Ability Not Disability" jointly organised by Rotary Club Lahore Garrison, Hope Rehabilitation Society and Al Mustafa Welfare Society here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
LCCI Acting President, Kashif Younis Meher said that the chamber is playing its corporate social responsibility in a winsome manner. He mentioned that the LCCI has done the needful in the recent floods and constructed 150 houses in the flood-ravaged areas of Southern Punjab while it is also doing rehabilitation of disabled persons in an organised way. He also paid tributes to the organisations working for the rehabilitation of disabled persons.
He said gone are the days when the disabled persons were considered a burden on the society or on a family because today a large number of unprivileged or disabled persons are not only well placed but also catering to needs of their families. President Al Mustafa Welfare Society, Mian Khalid Habib Elahi stressed the need for implementation of two percent job quota for disabled and higher education and boarding facilities for persons with disabilities. He said that there must be strict implementation on quota allocated for the disabled persons in public and private sector organisations. He said that in developed world disability was no more a problem and that is the only reason they are progressing leaps and bounds.
Head Paediatrics Development Department of Children's Hospital, Dr Shazia Maqbool pointed out that there are no education facilities for children with disabilities between zeros to five years old and due to missing education facilities such children could not develop required confidence in their personalities.
Dr Khalida Tareen said that persons with disabilities were integral part of our society and we should encourage their abilities. President Hope Society, Dr Khalid N. Niazi on the occasion distributed free artificial limbs among seven disabled persons, while Rotary Club delivered digital talking weighing machines among blind people for self employment. Kh Asif, Ms Shaheen Ahmad and others also addressed the function. The participants also lit candles to express solidarity with the disabled in connection with international day at LCCI premises.