Rehabilitation of disabled is one of the biggest challenges for developing countries like Pakistan and it could be tackled through meaningful public-private partnership: Speakers

Lahore, April 27, 2015 (PPI-OT): The rehabilitation of the disabled is one of the biggest challenges for the developing countries like Pakistan and it could be tackled through a meaningful public-private partnership.

This was upshot of the speeches delivered at the LABARD Fund Raising Dinner 2015 held at the Faletti’s Hotel Lahore in collaboration with Albaraka Islamic Bank, DWP Group, AKD Group, Allied Bank of Pakistan, Orient Group, Cocacola, Pepsi, Bao Brothers, Sufi Vanaspati and Cooking Oil, Lake City, Fatima Group, KBK Electronics, Qarshi Industries, Associated Group, Nikon Cameras, Warid Telecom, Guard Group, Shahid Builders and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, British High Commissioner to the Pakistan, Philip Barton, US Consul General Zachary Harkenrider, LABARD President MNA Pervez Malik, LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz, SVP Mian Nauman Kabir, LABARD SVP Mian Nusratuddin, Vice President Bushra Aitzaz, Secretary General Saeed Khan, Finance Secretary Abbas Khan, MNA Shaista Pervez, Advisor to CM Nasir Saeed and Aitzaz Ahsan were the key speakers.

The funds generated from the event will be used to provide and facilitate free counselling services, medical treatment, education, vocational training and employment opportunities to the persons with disabilities. The LABARD Fund Raising Dinner was a rare show of solidarity by the all segments of the society with the physically challenged persons who have the desire to play their role as active members of the society.

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq said it was a very happy omen that private sector was working day and night for the noble cause of rehabilitation of disables under the umbrella of LABARD. While appreciating the services of LABARD, Speaker National Assembly said though it was a responsibility of the government to look after all segments of society but LABARD was sharing burden of government and supplement its efforts for the rehabilitation of disables.

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Philip Barton said that rehabilitation of physically challenged people was one of the major challenges being tackled by the developing countries and every person of the society should play his role in this regard. He promised to extend maximum cooperation to the LABARD for this noble cause. Britsh High Commissioner said that we cannot have a healthy and growing society unless the communities we work in are healthy and sustainable. He said that “we are committed to improve the quality of life in all parts of the world and also committed to LABARD’s all future initiatives.”

US Consul General Zachary Harkenrider said that United States would continue to work with the LABARD in its endeavour to impart vocational training to the disabled persons. He said that though rehabilitation of disables is a big task but could be handled through a positive approach.

MNA and President Pervez Malik said that “LABARD is a project that is very close to my heart. I have always felt that there have been very few facilities for the physically and mentally challenged. These talented people can be treated and provided guidance for earning a respectable livelihood and place in the society; however, we need continuous support from individuals and organisations to keep our mission alive”.

He said Pakistan’s informal census indicates that about 2.49% of the total population consists people with disabilities. To help them lead fulfilling lives with dignity and respect, the businessmen of Lahore, with the support of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been working effortlessly in raising funds and taking an active part in the administration of LABARD. He said that a number of services being rendered by the LABARD included: medical assistance, counseling of mentally disabled persons, speech therapy, Qarz-e-Hasana and crutches, tricycles are being provided absolutely free of cost. The number of disabled persons who got themselves registered with the LABARD for availing these facilities is now in thousands.

LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that the government should petronise all LABARD-like institutions so that the stigma of disability could be removed from the face of Pakistani society. He said that it is religious and moral duty of the whole private sector to ensure jobs to the disabled persons so that they could enjoy the status equal to other members of the society. Ijaz A. Mumtaz paid rich tributes to LABARD office-bearers for spending their time and energies for this noble cause. He said that LABARD is a feather in LCCI cap and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry would leave no stone unturned in ensuring proper assistance to the LABARD. He said that all the businessmen should at least accommodate one disabled person in his factory or office to curtail the miseries of the society.

LABARD SG Mohammad Saeed Khan and Finance Secretary Abbas Khan said that the Lahore Businessmen Association for Rehabilitation of Disabled (LABARD) has so far arranged jobs for hundreds of disabled persons and it is soon coming up with a state-of-the-art training center in Lahore where the disabled persons would not only be imparted with training in various faculties but arrangements would also be made for their placement in different organizations.

They said that rehabilitation of disabled persons is a sacred job and everybody should come forward to play his role. They said that the LABARD was getting a very good response from the registration camps it was holding at Union council level.

Saeed Khan said that in the developed world, the disabled persons are always given a special treatment, they are provided with every possible facility so that they could use their abilities for the well-being of society and now the situation in Pakistan was also taking a positive turn and a large number of disabled persons are running their own businesses with the help of LABARD.

For more information, contact:
Shahid Khalil
Information Department
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
11-Shahrah-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat,
Lahore -54000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-222-499
Fax: +92-42-6368854