ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is prioritizing the participation in leadership roles of people with disabilities, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said as he joined the international community in commemorating the International Day Of Persons With Disabilities today, Tuesday.
The 2024 theme for the annual day is ‘Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,’ connoting the basic requirements of participation, representation and inclusion and calls for persons with disabilities to actively shape the conditions of their lives.
People with disabilities can play important roles in leadership, and their unique perspectives can lead to better services for people with disabilities, rights bodies say. They can also help ensure that organizations are accountable for actions that affect people with disabilities.
“This year’s theme, ‘Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,’ highlights a vital truth: the journey toward a more inclusive world must be led by those who understand its challenges firsthand,” Sharif said in a statement.
“We are prioritizing their participation in leadership roles, ensuring that their perspectives guide our national development strategies, and building a society that values their contributions as leaders, innovators, and changemakers.”
An estimated 1.3 billion people – about 16 percent of the global population – currently experience significant disability. As many as 27 million people in Pakistan may be living with disabilities, both intellectual and physical, according to Human Rights Watch.
Sharif said initiatives such as enhancing access to assistive technologies, improving inclusive infrastructure, and ensuring the implementation of disability-friendly laws were central to Pakistan’s vision.
“We are taking meaningful steps to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities in education, employment, health care, and public life. Our government is working diligently to implement comprehensive policies that address accessibility, empower individuals with disabilities, and break down societal barriers that hinder their full participation.”
Sharif also highlighted the need to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of caregivers, advocates, and organizations working to support persons with disabilities.
“I urge our institutions, businesses, and civil society to play their role in breaking down barriers and fostering environments where persons with disabilities can contribute as leaders,” the PM added.
“We must also make conscious efforts to challenge behaviors and attitudes that perpetuate stigma and discrimination, replacing them with understanding and respect.”
Pakistani PM says prioritizing participation in leadership roles for people with disabilities
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Pakistani PM says prioritizing participation in leadership roles for people with disabilities
- 2024 theme for International Day Of Persons With Disabilities is ‘Amplifying leadership of persons with disabilities’
- As many as 27 million people in Pakistan may be living with disabilities, both intellectual and physical, HRW says
Peace can only prevail if Afghanistan renounces support for ‘terrorism’— Pakistan defense chief
- Pakistan’s chief of defense forces visits South Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan
- Pakistan says has killed 481 Afghan Taliban operatives since clashes began last Thursday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Wednesday that peace with Afghanistan can only prevail if Kabul renounces support for “terrorism” and “terrorist” organizations, the military’s media wing said as the two countries remain locked in conflict.
Fighting between the two neighbors, the worst in decades, broke out last Thursday night after Afghan forces attacked Pakistan’s military installations along their shared border. Afghanistan said its attacks were in response to earlier airstrikes by Pakistan against alleged militant hideouts in its country.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militant outfits such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its soil who have launched attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces in recent years. Kabul denies the allegations.
Munir visited Wana town in Pakistan’s South Waziristan district to review the security situation and troops’ operational preparedness at the Afghan border, the Pakistani military’s media wing said in a statement.
“The Field Marshal reiterated that peace could only prevail between both sides if the Afghan Taliban renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The military chief said the use of Afghan soil by militant outfits to launch attacks against Pakistan was unacceptable, vowing that “all necessary measures” would be taken to neutralize cross-border threats.
During the visit, Munir was briefed by military commanders about ongoing intelligence-based operations and measures being taken by the military to manage the border with Afghanistan.
He was also briefed about “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” or “Wrath for the Truth,” the name Pakistan has given to its military operation against Afghan forces, the ISPR said.
The Pakistani military chief spoke to troops deployed in the area, praising their vigilance, professional conduct and high morale, the ISPR said.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the military has killed 481 Taliban operatives, injured more than 690 and destroyed 226 Afghan checkposts since clashes began.
Arab News has been unable to verify claims by both sides about the damages they claim to have inflicted on each other.
Afghanistan has signaled it is open for dialogue but Pakistan rejected the offer, saying it would continue its military operations till its objectives were achieved.
Since the conflict began, diplomatic efforts have intensified with several countries, including global bodies such as the European Union and United Nations, urging restraint and calling for talks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Ankara would help reinstate a ceasefire, the Turkish Presidency said on Tuesday, as other countries that had offered to mediate have since been hit by the conflict in the Gulf.
