960423

Govt urged to help

disabled people to

stand on their feet

ISLAMABAD: About ten percent of the country's population is disabled, which should be educated and trained to ensure sustained socio-economic development, said President of Pakistan Association of the Blind, Dr. Fatima Shah.

Talking to PTV on Tuesday she urged the government and the society to help the disabled to stand on their feet, by setting up special training Institutes and schools.

Dr Fatima said our society has negative attitude towards the disabled especially the blind. There is a general understanding that a disabled person is not a part of this society, even the parents do not let their child go out alone.

"Extra protection is not good for the disabled," she said adding, they should be allowed to move freely just like normal children.

Nowadays, she said, talking machines have been invented for the blind but these are very expensive. She appealed to philanthropists to donate these machines and brail books to the public libraries.

She said the blinds are being helped through charity and there was no training institute for them. The government, philanthropists and the society should try to bring changes in the social set up and meet the needs of the disabled people, she reiterated.-APP