President emphasizes need for extending benefits of modern day technology to support persons with disabilities.

PESHAWAR -- President Dr Arif Alvi here Monday emphasized the need for adopting all possible measures to extend benefits of the modern day technology to support persons with disabilities and those affected by the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases and aging factors.

Addressing an interactive session with persons having disabilities held in coordination with World Health Organization (WHO) here at Governor House, the President said the assistive technology was drawing commitment at global, regional and members state level, which was a sign that the world was changing for the betterment and there was a hope for those in need of assistive products.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan and Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash were also present.

The President said the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2020, which was envisaged as an instrument for inclusive development, was a benchmark to ensure an easy access for persons with disabilities on equal basis with others. He said at present, "we are living in difficult times because COVID-19 pandemic had affected every sector of life".

Appreciating the consistent support being provided by the WHO for health and well-being of people of Pakistan, the President said that Government was fully committed to ensure that people with disabilities in all their diversity were meaningfully participating at all levels of the society.

Dr Arif Alvi said the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a powerful framework in mainstreaming disability inclusion across its dimensions. The President said social protection programmes have a great potential to play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and promoting effective access to healthcare, rehabilitation and other services, thus nurturing social inclusion and participation.

The President said the government was focusing on technical, vocational and skill based education to financially empower persons with disabilities and take full advantage of their potentials.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan has already announced Rs2000 per month stipend for a person with disability. He said "in our country there was about two million persons with different kinds of disabilities out of which about 3,30,000 were registered with NADRA". He said data of unregistered persons with disabilities was being prepared under Ehsas Survey to provide loans...

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