ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Dr. Sania Nishtar Saturday said the government was taking various initiatives for the welfare and development of disabled persons with an aim to improve their living standard.

Talking to PTV News, she said the government was moving ahead with a focus to protect and ensure the fundamental rights of special persons and that many steps were underway for poverty alleviation.

She said the government had also announced “Sehat Sahulat programme" and “Insaf card policy” for the special persons of the country, besides 2 percent quota in jobs and Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme.

Dr Sania said the prime minister has given special instructions for uplift of downtrodden segments of society under “Ahsas”  programme which was ensuring social protection of 10 million people, including provision of employment to 3.8  million people, issuing of 10 million “Insaf Cards”  for health coverage, five million scholarships for students and granting of loans to 6 million women for their economic empowerment.