Respected Altaf Hussain Bhai,
MQM International Secretariat,
54 - 58, First Floor,
Elizabeth House,
High Street Edgware, Middlesex,
HA8 7EJ, United Kingdom
Phone: ++44(020) 89057300
Fax: ++44(020) 8952 9282
My name is Syeda Uzma Shah; I am software engineer. While I was in the final year of my BSC (Software Engineering) unfortunately I had car accident in Dec 2003 resulting spinal injury and thus paraplegic since then. However in spite of this mishap which entirely changed my life I completed my study after the accident successfully and secured BSC (Software Engineering) degree conferred upon me by University of Huddersfield, UK through their affiliated institution in Karachi i.e. Karachi Institute of Information Technology. During convocation the Institute awarded me certificate of valor for the courage shown by me in the hour of trial and completion of my course with my classmates. It's been six years that I am confined to bed and movement through wheel chair.
Coming to the point, first I will appreciate MQM that Karachi City Government did great job and developed infrastructure of Karachi under the dynamic leadership of MQM nominated and elected City Nazim Mustafa Kamal. In spite of all the good work done by the City Government I am sorry that all the infrastructural work initiated and completed by the Karachi City Government is devoid of structures considered essential for the safe and easy movements of disabled persons. It appears to me that while planning and implementing the development projects the Karachi City Government failed to take into count that people who are suffering from physical disabilities resulting out of accidents or otherwise also live in Karachi. This is perhaps they don't have any daughter, son, brother or any other close relative suffering from physical disabilities and thus they failed to visualize the difficulty faced by such entities in their normal life. I am sorry to say that MQM and its Karachi City Government leadership including the people sitting on the opposition benches forgot about those people, who although less in number and falling in the category of human beings also live in Karachi and other part of Pakistan; I am talking about "people with disabilities". Will anyone from the MQM Cadre or Karachi City Government would have courage to provide answer to my following points:
The Karachi City Government constructed Roads, Pedestrian Walkways/ Footpaths but why they failed to provide ramps enabling the wheel chair user disabled person to use these facilities in the same manner as used by normal person? Why no iron railings were erected on the foot paths and unauthorized encroachments removed so that blind people or physically disabled persons can use the same easily and without fear of mishaps resulting either loss of life or further physical impairment? Not only Karachi City Government but all other City Governments, Provincial Governments and Federal Government have failed in this regard.
The Karachi City Government developed parks, picnic spots and horticulture spots but no amenities; such as special washrooms and changing rooms etc.; are available for physically disabled persons to enjoy the life as being enjoyed by normal people. Why special entrance with ramps were not constructed at such spots and parking places designated for the vehicles carrying physically handicapped persons using wheel chairs or other equipments to visit and enjoy such places with ease and peace? Likewise all other City Governments, Provincial Governments and Federal Government are answerable on this count.
Can the Karachi City Government or all Provincial Governments or Federal Government provide explanation that in how many shopping centers and business spots, hotels above-mentioned facilities are available for the physically handicapped persons? If not then who is responsible for this criminal neglect; Leaders of MQM, Karachi City Government in relation to Karachi or other City Governments, Provincial Governments of respective Provinces or Federal Government?
Whether any authority in Pakistan can claim that disabled people either on wheelchair or otherwise can travel on any transport such as Railway, vans or buses with ease and safety? Whether Chief Minister of Sindh, Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan or City Nazim of any city can ensure that such transport facilities are available under their domain? All the political stalwarts of Pakistan belonging to political parties are regular visitor or even resident of the western countries since years and they all know what type of infrastructural changes are required for disabled persons there. It appears that they deliberately failed to make such changes in infrastructure of the country and also failed to bring legislation to this effect.
I asked from all the persons who matter in Pakistan that had they ever checked that whether Schools, colleges, private educational institutions and hospitals in Sindh, Punjab, NWFP and Baluchistan are having all facilities as detailed above so that physically disabled persons could get education/ health facilities of their choice and get into the mainstream and to work for the betterment of country and society. If reply is in negative, which it is, then who is going to make legislation to this effect or issue administrative order for doing the needful or all concerned will wait for the time when someone like me approaches the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking its indulgence in the matter on the basis of public interest litigation or enforcement of constitutional guaranteed right of equality of opportunities in job, education and life.
Whether I shall call it criminal negligence of all concerned or irony of fate that not a single Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Injury and other physical impairment with all modern facilities, machineries and equipment is functioning in Pakistan. No such facility is available in Sindh including Karachi. I demand that such types of Rehabilitation Centers should be made at all provincial headquarters at the first stage and then at all big cities of the country to provide all sorts of facilities to the disabled persons in order to rehabilitate them in life.
Being living in Karachi I am more interested in the matters of Karachi and want to see this city as role model for other cities of Pakistan. I am enclosing a news item published in "Daily Dawn" of 4th December 2008 wherein one of MQM Minister Rauf Siddiqui, while speaking as chief guest at a seminar organized at a local hotel in Karachi on 3rd December 2008 to observe International Day for Persons with Disabilities announced that the:
"Sindh Government would form task force in the coming days for the welfare of the disabled" and further added that; "the job quota for disabled persons would be increased from the present two percent to five percent at the Sindh Government level".
The volley of promises didn't stop at the above-mentioned two points but he further made a tall claim that: "An amount of Rs500000/= would be given to the task force on behalf of the Sindh Government, while a plot would be allocated for the establishment of a building to house organizations working for the welfare of disabled" further added that "plot would be allocated in the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) to impart job training to people with disabilities".
I don't know about whether any task force was formed by Sindh Government or plot allotted and grant extended for the construction and housing of promised Task Force for the Welfare of the disabled persons but I am sure that quota of job was never increased by the Sindh Government from 2% to 5% as promised by the said Minister. Just ask this Minister that whether the business concerns, industries etc. under the control of Ministry of Commerce and Industry Sindh had provided jobs to disabled persons as per 2%? Or the Ministry itself had given jobs to educated disabled persons having higher qualification in accordance to 2% quota in several departments of Ministry? I wish I can see him fulfilling his promise. But with a disappointed smile, I have to say that instead of increasing to 5% he failed to implement even 2% quota in his ministry and organizations falling under the control of his ministerial domain. The 2% quota is applicable in all Governmental or Non Governmental organizations in terms of Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation Ordinance 1981 then why persons with disabilities don't get jobs in public and private organizations? Why not any ministries employee the disabled person having higher qualifications in the departments coming under the said ministries? Why every time people like Rauf Siddiqui, Shazia Marri and others like of them; come deliver speeches; make false promises which they can't fulfill and then forget all about their words??? Are we waiting for angles to land in our pure country and do it with magic or we people have to take step for it? This year interestingly the said Minister appeared as a Chief Guest at a Blind Cricket Championship but the press has not attributed any utterances to him meaning that this year he didn't made any promises?
Interestingly till today as far as my humble knowledge is concerned not a single political party in Pakistan has given any representation to disabled persons in political set up of the country so that a person who really knows the hardship faced by disabled persons could represent and agitate their problems at the highest forum of the country.
I have few proposals which I want to discuss with City Nazim and Governor Sindh with the hope and assurance that they will listen to it with open mind and sympathetic heart and would really take such proposals into consideration and would form some task force for implementation. Being on wheel chair I can't go and meet them and I don't have any hope that they will grant me time and will make proper arrangement and schedule a meeting with me at their offices or at my home; hence this letter to you so that you should take up these highlighted issues with authorities sitting at the helm of affairs in the country; but out of reach of common people what to talk of a person with physical disability.
I am enclosing my press conference with the letter; hope you will give profound look to it and the questions which I asked in press conference, I request you to ask these from concerned circles on behalf of people with disabilities inclusive of me.
I hope that you and the others to whom I am forwarding copy of this letter would feel in the same manner as if your real daughter was passing through this agonies and problems; but I pray that Allah the Almighty may protect your kiths and kin from such calamity which had fallen on me and from the agony and problem from which I am passing through. In spite of all this what I am facing and passing I am thankful to Allah the Almighty who granted me courage to face this calamity and to stand up and fight for the rights of the people with disabilities. I don't need any financial help or pity of the Government or so called political leaders; who don't have time to address to problems of the people but busy in amassing wealth without realising that coffin has no pockets and graves had no vaults; what I demand is equal rights for the people with disabilities who want to enjoy and live their lives as other people of Pakistan and wanted to become part of society to work for the prosperity of this great land.
I end my letter with the hope that you will take notice of this humanitarian issue, initiate appropriate steps and raise your charged voice for us who are ignored by the state and being deprived of the constitutional guaranteed rights. And yes I addressed you as Altaf Bhai otherwise I would have preferred to call you chacha ji, as you are of the age of my father, and due to that you are my chacha. Hope you won't mind this.
Regards,
(Syeda Uzma Shah)
172-V, 5th Floor, Penthouse,
Ali Centre, PECHS Block-2,
Main Tariq Road, Karachi.
Mob# 03008236680,
Tele# 09221-4544527
Copy to: Honorable Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad with prayer to look into the matter and convert this letter as petition in the interest of disabled persons of Pakistan and to direct the Federal Provincial and City Governments to initiate action accordingly and to provide opportunity of hearing at Islamabad.
(Syeda Uzma Shah)
Copy for information and necessary action to:
-President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad
-Prime Minister, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad
-Dr. Ishrat Ul Ibad, Governor Sindh, Karachi.
Chief Minister Punjab /Sindh /NWFP /Baluchistan, Chief Minister Secretariat, Lahore /Karachi /Peshawar /Quetta.
MQM International Secretariat,
54 - 58, First Floor,
Elizabeth House,
High Street Edgware, Middlesex,
HA8 7EJ, United Kingdom
Phone: ++44(020) 89057300
Fax: ++44(020) 8952 9282
My name is Syeda Uzma Shah; I am software engineer. While I was in the final year of my BSC (Software Engineering) unfortunately I had car accident in Dec 2003 resulting spinal injury and thus paraplegic since then. However in spite of this mishap which entirely changed my life I completed my study after the accident successfully and secured BSC (Software Engineering) degree conferred upon me by University of Huddersfield, UK through their affiliated institution in Karachi i.e. Karachi Institute of Information Technology. During convocation the Institute awarded me certificate of valor for the courage shown by me in the hour of trial and completion of my course with my classmates. It's been six years that I am confined to bed and movement through wheel chair.
Coming to the point, first I will appreciate MQM that Karachi City Government did great job and developed infrastructure of Karachi under the dynamic leadership of MQM nominated and elected City Nazim Mustafa Kamal. In spite of all the good work done by the City Government I am sorry that all the infrastructural work initiated and completed by the Karachi City Government is devoid of structures considered essential for the safe and easy movements of disabled persons. It appears to me that while planning and implementing the development projects the Karachi City Government failed to take into count that people who are suffering from physical disabilities resulting out of accidents or otherwise also live in Karachi. This is perhaps they don't have any daughter, son, brother or any other close relative suffering from physical disabilities and thus they failed to visualize the difficulty faced by such entities in their normal life. I am sorry to say that MQM and its Karachi City Government leadership including the people sitting on the opposition benches forgot about those people, who although less in number and falling in the category of human beings also live in Karachi and other part of Pakistan; I am talking about "people with disabilities". Will anyone from the MQM Cadre or Karachi City Government would have courage to provide answer to my following points:
The Karachi City Government constructed Roads, Pedestrian Walkways/ Footpaths but why they failed to provide ramps enabling the wheel chair user disabled person to use these facilities in the same manner as used by normal person? Why no iron railings were erected on the foot paths and unauthorized encroachments removed so that blind people or physically disabled persons can use the same easily and without fear of mishaps resulting either loss of life or further physical impairment? Not only Karachi City Government but all other City Governments, Provincial Governments and Federal Government have failed in this regard.
The Karachi City Government developed parks, picnic spots and horticulture spots but no amenities; such as special washrooms and changing rooms etc.; are available for physically disabled persons to enjoy the life as being enjoyed by normal people. Why special entrance with ramps were not constructed at such spots and parking places designated for the vehicles carrying physically handicapped persons using wheel chairs or other equipments to visit and enjoy such places with ease and peace? Likewise all other City Governments, Provincial Governments and Federal Government are answerable on this count.
Can the Karachi City Government or all Provincial Governments or Federal Government provide explanation that in how many shopping centers and business spots, hotels above-mentioned facilities are available for the physically handicapped persons? If not then who is responsible for this criminal neglect; Leaders of MQM, Karachi City Government in relation to Karachi or other City Governments, Provincial Governments of respective Provinces or Federal Government?
Whether any authority in Pakistan can claim that disabled people either on wheelchair or otherwise can travel on any transport such as Railway, vans or buses with ease and safety? Whether Chief Minister of Sindh, Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan or City Nazim of any city can ensure that such transport facilities are available under their domain? All the political stalwarts of Pakistan belonging to political parties are regular visitor or even resident of the western countries since years and they all know what type of infrastructural changes are required for disabled persons there. It appears that they deliberately failed to make such changes in infrastructure of the country and also failed to bring legislation to this effect.
I asked from all the persons who matter in Pakistan that had they ever checked that whether Schools, colleges, private educational institutions and hospitals in Sindh, Punjab, NWFP and Baluchistan are having all facilities as detailed above so that physically disabled persons could get education/ health facilities of their choice and get into the mainstream and to work for the betterment of country and society. If reply is in negative, which it is, then who is going to make legislation to this effect or issue administrative order for doing the needful or all concerned will wait for the time when someone like me approaches the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking its indulgence in the matter on the basis of public interest litigation or enforcement of constitutional guaranteed right of equality of opportunities in job, education and life.
Whether I shall call it criminal negligence of all concerned or irony of fate that not a single Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Injury and other physical impairment with all modern facilities, machineries and equipment is functioning in Pakistan. No such facility is available in Sindh including Karachi. I demand that such types of Rehabilitation Centers should be made at all provincial headquarters at the first stage and then at all big cities of the country to provide all sorts of facilities to the disabled persons in order to rehabilitate them in life.
Being living in Karachi I am more interested in the matters of Karachi and want to see this city as role model for other cities of Pakistan. I am enclosing a news item published in "Daily Dawn" of 4th December 2008 wherein one of MQM Minister Rauf Siddiqui, while speaking as chief guest at a seminar organized at a local hotel in Karachi on 3rd December 2008 to observe International Day for Persons with Disabilities announced that the:
"Sindh Government would form task force in the coming days for the welfare of the disabled" and further added that; "the job quota for disabled persons would be increased from the present two percent to five percent at the Sindh Government level".
The volley of promises didn't stop at the above-mentioned two points but he further made a tall claim that: "An amount of Rs500000/= would be given to the task force on behalf of the Sindh Government, while a plot would be allocated for the establishment of a building to house organizations working for the welfare of disabled" further added that "plot would be allocated in the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) to impart job training to people with disabilities".
I don't know about whether any task force was formed by Sindh Government or plot allotted and grant extended for the construction and housing of promised Task Force for the Welfare of the disabled persons but I am sure that quota of job was never increased by the Sindh Government from 2% to 5% as promised by the said Minister. Just ask this Minister that whether the business concerns, industries etc. under the control of Ministry of Commerce and Industry Sindh had provided jobs to disabled persons as per 2%? Or the Ministry itself had given jobs to educated disabled persons having higher qualification in accordance to 2% quota in several departments of Ministry? I wish I can see him fulfilling his promise. But with a disappointed smile, I have to say that instead of increasing to 5% he failed to implement even 2% quota in his ministry and organizations falling under the control of his ministerial domain. The 2% quota is applicable in all Governmental or Non Governmental organizations in terms of Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation Ordinance 1981 then why persons with disabilities don't get jobs in public and private organizations? Why not any ministries employee the disabled person having higher qualifications in the departments coming under the said ministries? Why every time people like Rauf Siddiqui, Shazia Marri and others like of them; come deliver speeches; make false promises which they can't fulfill and then forget all about their words??? Are we waiting for angles to land in our pure country and do it with magic or we people have to take step for it? This year interestingly the said Minister appeared as a Chief Guest at a Blind Cricket Championship but the press has not attributed any utterances to him meaning that this year he didn't made any promises?
Interestingly till today as far as my humble knowledge is concerned not a single political party in Pakistan has given any representation to disabled persons in political set up of the country so that a person who really knows the hardship faced by disabled persons could represent and agitate their problems at the highest forum of the country.
I have few proposals which I want to discuss with City Nazim and Governor Sindh with the hope and assurance that they will listen to it with open mind and sympathetic heart and would really take such proposals into consideration and would form some task force for implementation. Being on wheel chair I can't go and meet them and I don't have any hope that they will grant me time and will make proper arrangement and schedule a meeting with me at their offices or at my home; hence this letter to you so that you should take up these highlighted issues with authorities sitting at the helm of affairs in the country; but out of reach of common people what to talk of a person with physical disability.
I am enclosing my press conference with the letter; hope you will give profound look to it and the questions which I asked in press conference, I request you to ask these from concerned circles on behalf of people with disabilities inclusive of me.
I hope that you and the others to whom I am forwarding copy of this letter would feel in the same manner as if your real daughter was passing through this agonies and problems; but I pray that Allah the Almighty may protect your kiths and kin from such calamity which had fallen on me and from the agony and problem from which I am passing through. In spite of all this what I am facing and passing I am thankful to Allah the Almighty who granted me courage to face this calamity and to stand up and fight for the rights of the people with disabilities. I don't need any financial help or pity of the Government or so called political leaders; who don't have time to address to problems of the people but busy in amassing wealth without realising that coffin has no pockets and graves had no vaults; what I demand is equal rights for the people with disabilities who want to enjoy and live their lives as other people of Pakistan and wanted to become part of society to work for the prosperity of this great land.
I end my letter with the hope that you will take notice of this humanitarian issue, initiate appropriate steps and raise your charged voice for us who are ignored by the state and being deprived of the constitutional guaranteed rights. And yes I addressed you as Altaf Bhai otherwise I would have preferred to call you chacha ji, as you are of the age of my father, and due to that you are my chacha. Hope you won't mind this.
Regards,
(Syeda Uzma Shah)
172-V, 5th Floor, Penthouse,
Ali Centre, PECHS Block-2,
Main Tariq Road, Karachi.
Mob# 03008236680,
Tele# 09221-4544527
Copy to: Honorable Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad with prayer to look into the matter and convert this letter as petition in the interest of disabled persons of Pakistan and to direct the Federal Provincial and City Governments to initiate action accordingly and to provide opportunity of hearing at Islamabad.
(Syeda Uzma Shah)
Copy for information and necessary action to:
-President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad
-Prime Minister, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad
-Dr. Ishrat Ul Ibad, Governor Sindh, Karachi.
Chief Minister Punjab /Sindh /NWFP /Baluchistan, Chief Minister Secretariat, Lahore /Karachi /Peshawar /Quetta.
