LAHORE:
In an attempt to appease foreign and local human rights groups, the government has time and again announced special quotas for civil service positions for differently-abled persons. However, poor implementation and a lack of dedication towards reserving the seats has meant that thousands of aspiring candidates for government jobs remain at fortunes mercy.
Zakia Parveen, a government job aspirant from Lahore, has suffered from polio since childhood due to which her physical mobility is constrained, and she has to use a wheelchair. Her husband too lives with hearing and speech impairment. “I have passed the intermediate exam and have been trying for a government job since several years but have not been successful,” lamented Zakia, who further claimed that thousands of differently-abled people like her had been unsuccessful in securing a government job despite having the necessary education, skills and ability.
“As per data from the World Health Organization, 15 to 20 percent of Pakistan’s total population comprises of people suffering from some kind of disability. But, unfortunately, the quota of jobs for special persons is only 3 per cent,” revealed Wajid Hussain, President of the Rights of Special Persons Welfare Foundation (ROSP), who was of the opinion that a lack of awareness and facilities for the special needs of differently-abled persons had aggravated their isolation from paid employment.
“Transportation is a big problem for differently-abled persons and half their salary is spent on commute only,” added Hussain.“Differently-abled persons require a disability certificate to get a job, but it is very difficult to obtain this certificate since only one hospital, the Services Hospital, issues it in the city. It takes the whole day for many differently-abled persons to reach there and wait for their turn,” explained Syeda Imtiaz Fatima, founder of the Independent Living Home.
According to a report obtained by The Express Tribune from the Pakistan Public Administration Research Center, Establishment Division for the year 2021-22, the number of differently-abled persons recruited under the two percent quota in federal departments was only 1704 while the total number of federal employees was 575,354.
Read complete article at The Tribune