Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government’s commitment to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, stating that empowerment through skills development, education, and employment remains a top priority of the Sindh government.

He said this while addressing the Graduation Ceremony 2024-25 of Persons with Disabilities organised by NOWPDP at their Centres in Korangi on Tuesday. It was attended by Secretary DEPD Tauha Farooqui, NOWPDP President Amin Hashwani, CEO Omair Ahmaed, GM Fatima Jamil, and others.

The Chief Minister said the event was organised under the Hunarmand Programme, a partnership between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), Government of Sindh, and NOWPDP. The programme is financially supported by DEPD and aims to enable persons with disabilities to live independent and dignified lives.

The Chief Minister said that with the support of his government, more than 65,000 persons with disabilities have directly benefited over the past five years, while joint initiatives with NOWPDP have brought positive change to the lives of over 325,000 individuals across the province. “Our objective is to bring real improvement in the lives of persons with disabilities and empower them to play a positive role in society,” CM Murad Ali Shah said.

Shah announced that the Pakistan Peoples Party government is establishing 10 Centres of Excellence across all divisions of Sindh, adding that under the Hunarmand Programme, over 4,200 persons with disabilities have completed skills training, while more than 1,700 individuals have been employed in 22 different industries.

Highlighting gender inclusion, the Chief Minister noted that one out of every three graduates of the Hunarmand Programme is a woman with disability, emphasising that skills development and employment initiatives are being designed with a strong focus on gender inclusion.

Murad Ali Shah further shared that over 500 special children are currently enrolled in five special education schools in Sindh, creating a strong linkage from education to skills development and ultimately to employment. “This progress reflects the success of Sindh’s public-private partnership model. Through collaboration with partner organisations, DEPD has enabled persons with disabilities to stand on their own feet,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that Sindh’s model of empowering persons with disabilities has gained recognition from other provinces as well, while effective coordination between government and partners has improved both the scope and quality of development initiatives, transforming pilot projects into sustainable, system-level interventions.

Shah announced that new skills development and employment facilities for persons with disabilities will be established in Shaheed Benazirabad, Islamkot, and Keamari, further expanding access to inclusive opportunities.

Speaking about institutional reforms, the chief minister recalled that the department was previously known as the Special Education Department, but in 2017, it was renamed the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) to reflect a more inclusive and rights-based approach.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)