ISLAMABAD, Oct 15 (APP): Pakistan, along with global community, on Sunday observed the ‘International White Cane Day’, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the visually impaired and promoting their rights to independence, mobility, and social inclusion.
This international observance is a significant moment to acknowledge the challenges faced by the blind and visually-impaired individuals and to highlight the importance of accessibility and equal opportunities for them.
In Pakistan, ‘International White Cane Day’ was celebrated with a series of events and initiatives to improve the lives of the visually-impaired community and make the country more inclusive. The day’s activities were coordinated by various organizations, government agencies, and individuals who share a common goal of empowering the blind and visually impaired.
Furthermore, social media campaigns and online discussions amplified the message of International White Cane Day. People shared stories and experiences of visually-impaired individuals, highlighting their achievements and struggles, in an effort to raise awareness and promote inclusivity in the digital realm.
One of the major challenges discussed during these events was the need for enhanced infrastructure, such as audible traffic signals, tactile paving, and ramps, to make public spaces more accessible. Activists and organizations called on local authorities to prioritize these improvements in urban planning
and public transportation.
National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in a statement in connection with International White Cane Day, said the visually-impaired people had immense potential and by providing equal opportunities for education and employment, they could be made useful citizens of the society.
He said visually-impaired people could play an important role in the development of the country. He said a white cane was a symbol that visually-impaired people were not in need of anyone adding that blindness could not stop them from moving ahead as they are playing a vital role in every sphere of life.
He said the National Assembly had enacted legislation particularly for specially-abled persons, and taken several steps to provide facilities to them in the Parliament House. He mentioned that the website of the National Assembly had been made accessible exclusively for specially-abled persons.
The speaker said even the Constitution of Pakistan was available in Braille on the website of Parliament. He urged the people to help visually-impaired people as much as possible and said collective efforts were needed to make the visually-impaired people effective citizens of the country.
