By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday stressed the need of taking effective measures to address special needs of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and encourage their active participation in various spheres of life.
He also underlined the need of simplifying the process of registration of PWDs to facilitate the differently-abled people. The president expressed these views while chairing a meeting about registration of PWDs, here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the PM (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishter, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman Usman Yousuf Mobin and other senior officials.
The meeting was briefed by the SAPM and NADRA chairman on the steps taken for the registration of PWDs.
The president said it was highly imperative to ease the process of registration and conduct a survey on PWDs so as to devise a strategy by the government to address their needs in an effective manner. Dr Sania Nishter informed the meeting that the survey on PWDs, under the Ehsaas Programme, was being carried out, which would be completed by June 2021.
The president asked the stakeholders concerned to take measures to mainstream education system for the economic uplift and integrating the PWDs. He also appreciated the steps taken by NADRA and the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation for the registration of PWDs.
Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said Pakistan attached great significance to its ties with Egypt and desired to further promote and diversify bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interests. The President said both countries enjoyed close relations which needed to be further strengthened in the areas of trade, cultural and defence. He made these remarks while talking to Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to Egypt Sajid Bilal, who called on him here at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The President felicitated the Ambassador-designate on his appointment as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Egypt and expressed the confidence that he would make concerted efforts for improvement of bilateral relations with Egypt.
He expressed confidence that the ambassador would focus on enhancing economic and defence cooperation.
The President asked the envoy designate to work for improving the image of the country during his tenure in Egypt. He also asked him to highlight Kashmir issue in the host country, particularly the atrocities being committed by India against the Muslim population of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. While, President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday invited businessmen from China and ASEAN countries to come and invest in the special economic zones being setup in Pakistan.
“We encourage ASEAN countries as well as Chinese businessmen, to invest in the special economic zones in Pakistan”, he said while addressing through video message at the opening ceremony of 17th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened at Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He said Pakistan’s macro economic policies have changed tremendously and there is a greater ease of doing business in Pakistan despite COVID-19 challenge. “We have handled COVID pandemic well also. And the far reaching economic and trade reforms and macro economic policies have provided good results in online business”.
“Pakistan has a sectoral dialogue partnership with ASEAN. Our partnership, progress and our cooperation is increasing”, he added. Dr Alvi said that Pakistan, China and ASEAN countries are very reliable, friends. “Pakistan wants to do a feasibility where Pakistan, China and ASEAN triangle can come up, as well as feasibility into Pakistan and ASEAN FTA”, he mentioned. Pakistan wants to export more textile goods, food products, surgical instruments, meat, vegetables to China and to ASEAN countries.
