KMC, DEPD to develop four parks for people with disabilities

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has announced a plan to provide special facilities for people with disabilities in its four parks with the support of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD).

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the project would provide people with disabilities recreational as well as learning opportunities. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday between the KMC and Sindh government’s DEPD at the KMC headquarters. According to the MoU, the KMC and DEPD would develop Bagh Ibne Qasim in Clifton, Saudia Park in Saudabad, Family Park in North Karachi Sector 7-D2 and Imran Shaheed Park in Landhi according to the needs of differently-abled persons.

“These people are an important part of society. I congratulate the KMC and DEPD, Government of Sindh, on this initiative taken for their welfare,” Wahab said, adding that all the citizens of Karachi would be served in a similar way.

Wahab, KMC Metropolitan Commissioner Syed Afzal Zaidi, DEPD Secretary Taha Ahmed Farooqui, Regional Director Karachi Farman Ali and others were present when the MoU was signed between KMC Parks and Horticulture director general and DEPD Chief Executive Officer SM Idrees.

The mayor said it was the responsibility of the Sindh government and KMC to provide equal opportunities to the all the people and it was necessary that some public spaces were reserved for the persons with disabilities so that they could have an opportunity of recreation and learning.

He added that under the MOU, the KMC would hand over possession of five acres of the Bagh lbn-e-Qasim and one acre each of the Saudia Park, Family Park and lmran Shaheed Park to the DEPD. The ownership of the spaces would remain exclusively with the KMC, and the DEPD would develop the parks as per the needs of differently-abled persons.

The mayor said the DEPD would not utilise the space provided to it for any commercial activities. A committee comprising representatives of the DEPD, KMC and Centre for Autism, Rehabilitation and Training would also be notified to periodically review the impact of the spaces developed for differently-abled persons.