ISLAMABAD: Secretary at Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness Lubna Aftab Sunday stressed media, religious scholars, human rights activists and civil society organizations to play an active role for raising awareness about the rights of visually impaired persons and for creating conducive atmosphere for visually impaired people.
Talking to PTV news channel, she said the ratio of such diseases is unusually high and the factor responsible for this alarming number is inter-family and cousin marriages, adding, PFFB an association that is continues involved in helping visually impaired group all over Pakistan.
Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB) has been actively participating in activities to create awareness about the Foundation besides successfully running and maintaining our existing projects within the available human, financial and infra-structural resources, she mentioned.
She said there is dire need to build assisting technology labs in school and universities so that the special persons and visually impaired students can have equal opportunities for education in a better way.
The public and private sectors should raise awareness about the difficulties being faced by visually impaired people in society, she added.
She highlighted that these people have proved that they are a useful part of society and can play their role in the economic and social development of the country along with other people, provided they are given adequate opportunities.
“Disability is a social barrier, and people with disabilities are shown a lack of respect by fellow citizens which needs to be addressed with conducting more awarness drives”, she urged.
To a question, she replied that the society needs to eliminate the concept that people with disabilities are inferior, we should treat these people with disabilities as friends and ensure they are provide equal job opportunities.
“PFFB is working hard to rehabilitate the lives of people with disabilities”, she added.
She also asked multiple social organizations to join hands to fulfill the great objective.