LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law and Social Welfare Raja Basharat has said that the provincial government under the leadership of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar was taking concrete steps for the welfare of persons with disabilities. He said, “I assure that their remaining problems would also be solved and all rights will be granted.”
The provincial minister was speaking as the chief guest at the celebration of World White Cane Day in Al-Hamra on Thursday. Chairperson Punjab Women Protection Authority Kaneez Fatima, MPA Sadia Sohail Rana and representatives of blind organizations Muhammad Muzaffar, Prof Muhammad Owais, Saleem Ahmed Aali, Khurram Butt and others were also present.
Raja Basharat said that he has come to express solidarity with the visually impaired persons on the occasion of World White Cane Day. He said that the
Punjab government was ensuring implementation of 3% quota in government jobs for persons with disabilities while more than 580 visually impaired daily wagers were being regularized in various departments.
He said that the Chief Minister had relaxed the ban on recruitment for the regularization of Daily Wagers in Punjab. He said that pending cases of promotion of visually impaired employees were also being dealt with on priority basis. The Law Minister assured on the demand of visually impaired employees that he would recommend increase in their conveyance allowance and hardship allowance and allocation of quota in government housing schemes.
Raja Basharat said that our first and last priority would be to deploy the disabled employees as close to home as possible. “Two years ago, blind people were protesting in the streets, but today I am happy that your problems are being solved and your confidence in the government has been restored,” he said.
