Blind persons protest outside Punjab PA

LAHORE: Dozens of blind persons on Monday gathered outside the Punjab Assembly building in protest against the Punjab government for allegedly not honouring its commitment it made three months ago to regularise the blind ad hoc employees and increasing their job quota.
The protest took place at the same day when the Punjab Assembly introduced the Punjab Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Amendment Bill 2015. Till filing of the report, the negotiations between the Punjab government and the blind persons continued in the Punjab Assembly secretariat whereas nearly a dozens of protesters, who were denied entrance, had gathered at the main gate of the PA building and chanted slogans for their demands. A number of blind persons hailing from different districts of Punjab started to gather outside the PA building in protest against the alleged apathetic attitude of the PML-N government towards them.
Waving their white sticks and chanting slogans against the government, the blind persons, who were flanked by a group of Pakistan Awami Tehrik activists including senior leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, made an attempt to enter the PA premises, but the security personnel shut the gate. Following the closure of the gate, the angry protesters also chanted ‘Go Nawaz Go’ slogans and beat the main gate with their fists, kicks and sticks.
Meanwhile, one of the groups of the blind persons was allowed to enter the PA premises after the Punjab ministers including Asif Saeed Minhas and Punjab government spokesman Zaeem Hussein Qadri intervened and started negotiations with them. However, despite hour long session of discussion between the government and the blind persons, deadlock continued to persist and the latter refused to end the protest.
Ilyas Jutt, a blind person, while talking to The News said three months ago the blind persons had raised voice for their right and the Punjab government had promised to award them a job quota but unfortunately the

commitment made by the CM was not honoured. He said the blind persons whose employment letters were issued by the government had not been appointed so far.
Three months ago, the protest by the blind persons had made headlines after they were reportedly manhandled by the police. The Punjab government on the other hand holds the view that all the demands of the blind persons have been accepted whereas all the commitment would be fulfilled by the end o of this month.
“Punjab government has accepted all demands of the blind persons and all promises will be fulfilled up to March 31 including regularising ad hoc blind employees and increasing of their one percent job quota will be recommended,” said Zaeem in a statement. Zaeem Qadri said the ban on jobs would not be applicable to the blind persons and instructions would be issued to the DCOs concerned about job quota of the blind persons.
He said the special committee headed by additional chief secretary was formulating recommendations for the blind persons.Zaeem Qadri said the Punjab government had earlier accepted their demands and the chief minister had increased quota for them. He said the Punjab government had increased quota for the blind persons up to three percent. What incentives were given by the PTI government in KPK to the special persons particularly the blind persons, he questioned. Zaeem Qadri said special persons including blind persons are being treated step-motherly in KPK. He said Imran Khan is not less than a dictator and his dictatorial approach has hijacked the PTI. He said the office-bearers of PTI are fed up with the dictatorial attitude of Imran Khan.
Commenting on the statement of a spokesman of PTI, Zaeem Qadri said the Punjab government is endeavouring for providing the special persons with respectable place in society. These persons may be blind for Imran Khan, but they are our loving Pakistani brethren, he added.