Awaz-e-Mazooran Balochistan Organization has called on the government and political parties to take urgent measures to ensure full political representation, social inclusion and equal access to services for persons with disabilities across Pakistan. At a press conference in Islamabad the organization outlined specific policy steps, including dedicated government institutions, guaranteed voting rights, vocational training and affordable assistive technology.
The demands were presented by the organization’s president, Izzatullah Kakak, at the National Press Club in Islamabad. He spoke alongside General Secretary Kaleemullah Khan and Office Secretary Syed Shah Faisal. Kakak said persons with disabilities make up a significant portion of the population but continue to face widespread exclusion from education, health care and employment, as well as persistent discrimination and barriers to accessing their rights.
Key policy proposals include reserved representation for persons with disabilities in the National and Provincial Assemblies and the Senate, and the establishment of disability wings within all political parties to ensure their inclusion in political life. The organization also urged that the voting rights of persons with disabilities be protected and facilitated.
On the institutional side, the organization called for the creation of a separate ministry for disability affairs and the formation of a National Disability Commission to monitor and review the implementation of disability rights and related policies. It also requested guaranteed participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes affecting them.
To improve economic opportunities and social integration, the organization recommended vocational and professional training programs tailored to persons with disabilities and their inclusion in social safety nets such as the Benazir Income Support Program. It emphasized the need for comprehensive inclusive education policies and methods to ensure access to learning.
Finally, the group urged that assistive devices and enabling technologies be made affordable and accessible so that persons with disabilities can fully participate as productive members of society.
