Disability in Pakistan

It means the inability to move the limbs. It's the disability of the legs (generally bones and joints) that causes problem in a person’s movements (like walking). It includes:

a. Due to accident/trauma/disaster: It means people who suffered road accidents, went through a traumatic event or natural/ man-made disasters including earthquakes, floods, building collapse etc.;

b. Cerebral palsy: It is a group of permanent movement disorders that usually appear before, during or after birth. It caused by the damage that occurs to an immature and developing brain. It hinders the body’s ability to move in a coordinated way.

c. Muscular dystrophy: It is a group of diseases that cause weakness and loss of muscle mass. It is due to the interference of abnormal genes with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle.

d. Polio related Physical Disabilities: It is also called poliomyelitis which is caused by the poliovirus. It may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis.

a) Blindness is a condition when there is:

i. total absence of sight.

ii. visual acuity less than 3/60 or less than 10/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with best possible correction; or

iii. limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of less than 10 degree.

b) Low vision is a condition when there is:

i. visual acuity not exceeding 6/18 or less than 20/60 up to 3/60 or up to 10/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with best possible corrections; or

ii. limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of less than 40 degree up to 10 degrees.

a) Deaf means when a person is having 70 DB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears;

b) Hard of hearing means a is having a loss between 60 DB to 70 DB in speech frequencies in both ears;

It refers the impairments of the growth and development of the brain or central nervous system. Its basically a disorder of brain function that affects emotion, learning ability, self-control and memory. The effects of it unfold as a person grows and tend to last for a person’s entire lifetime.

a) Intellectual disabilities involves problems with general mental abilities that affect intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem solving) and adaptive functioning (daily life activities which cover social and practical skills).

b) Autism Spectrum Disorder means a neuro-developmental condition typically appearing in the first three years of life that significantly affects a person's ability to communicate, understand relationships and relate to others, and is frequently associated with unusual or stereotypical rituals or behaviors and sensory issues;

c) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) means a chronic condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and sometimes impulsivity. It develops in initial years of life and lasts for a lifetime.

d) Specific learning disorder is a type of disorder that affects a child’s ability to acquire and apply reading, writing and math skills. it begins during school age and may not be recognized until adulthood. It includes conditions such as perceptual disabilities, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and developmental aphasia;

e) Communication disorder affects a person’s ability to comprehend, detect, or apply language and speech while communicating with others. These include Language Disorder (Receptive and Expressive), Speech Sound Disorder, Fluency Disorder, Social Communication Disorder etc.

f) Syndromes: These include Down Syndrome, Angelman’s Syndrome, Tourette’s Syndrome, Retts Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome etc.

i. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the brain and the spinal cord. In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath that covers the nerve fibers and this results in communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. With time, the disease can cause permanent damage of the nerves.;

ii. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease of the nervous system that affects the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. This causes muscle rigidity, impaired posture and balance, tremors and change in speech.

iii. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease refers to a group of diseases in which healthy nerve cells stop working, lose connection with other cells in brain and die. This result in loss of cognitive functioning i.e. thinking, remembering and reasoning. Alzheimer’s is a very specific form of dementia.

iv. Multiple Disabilities means more than one of the above specified disabilities causing severe communication, developmental, social and educational problems.[7]

Acquiring driving Licenses has long been an important issue for the Deaf Community. As per the official community released by the Deaf and Mute Community during a protest: “We have been holding demonstrations for the last 10 years, government is unwilling to accept our demands. Driving licenses should be issued to the deaf.” [8]

Promises have been made by the authorities several times to issue driving licenses to the Deaf but it has never materialized.[9][10]

The government of Sindh recently announced that driving licences will be issued to people with hearing disabilities, as the provincial cabinet has approved the issuance of it.[11]

As per a report published by British Council, 72% of Persons with Disabilities reported inaccessibility as a major barrier to access education, training & employment.[5] Not only this, Persons with Disabilities also faced issues during General Elections and could not exercise their right to vote because of inaccessible polling station.[12]

Pakistan have been competing at the Paralympic Games from 1992. So far, Pakistan has received 2 medals in Paralympics history in 2008 Summer Paralympics and in the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

Pakistan national blind cricket team has participated in every editions of the Blind Cricket World Cup as well as in the Blind T20 World Cup tournaments. The Pakistan blind cricket team has won 2 Blind Cricket World Cup titles in 2002 [19] and 2006.Hence became the first visually impaired cricket team to win 2 consecutive Blind Cricket World Cup titles.

The Pakistani blind cricket team also emerged as runners-up to South Africa in the inaugural edition of the Blind Cricket World Cup in 1998.

The Pakistan blind cricket team also emerged as runners-up to India in both Blind T20 World Cup tournaments.

Asia Cup T20 Tournament 2019 for Wheelchair users was played in Bangladesh in 2019. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal participated in the tournament.[20] Pakistan won the tournament after beating Indian Wheelchair Team by 5 wickets.[21]

Special Olympics World Games 2019 were held in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan's contingent won a total of 61 medals including 18 gold medals, 28 silver medals and 15 bronze medals across 10 different sports.[22]