LAHORE: A review meeting of the Council on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was chaired by Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Punjab/Chairperson CRPD Sohail Shaukat Butt to assess ongoing initiatives for improving services and support for persons with disabilities.
Director General Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Punjab/Secretary CRPD Dr. Shahinshah Faisal Azim, Director CRPD Muzamil Yar, and other relevant officers attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the provision of services, registration and certification, and progress on various welfare programmes. Officials informed the meeting that more than 640,000 disability certificates have so far been issued under the registration process.
The progress of the Himmat Card Programme was also reviewed, with officials informing the minister that the first-quarter installment for the financial year 2026-27 had been released.
Sohail Shaukat Butt directed officials to obtain feedback from beneficiaries regarding receipt of their installments and stressed the introduction of a two-way text messaging system to improve communication and support. He also directed field verifiers and assistant directors to remain in regular contact with beneficiaries and ensure timely resolution of their concerns.
The minister further directed officials to establish an effective coordination mechanism to connect Himmat Card beneficiaries requiring medicines or other medical assistance with Medical Social Welfare Officers.
The meeting also reviewed the distribution of assistive devices. The provincial minister emphasized that beneficiaries should be provided free maintenance services in case of faults or damage to assistive equipment to ensure their continued and effective use.
Measures to accelerate job placement and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities were also discussed, with emphasis on expanding soft job opportunities for visually impaired persons and increasing training opportunities at skill development centers.
Sohail Shaukat Butt said that, in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the provision of medical, financial, educational and employment-related facilities to persons with disabilities should be made more effective. He stressed the need for practical measures to ensure timely resolution of their issues and improve their access to welfare and support services.