Crippled youngster wants to prove himself

Rana Arif, 25, a disabled teenager who remains three time champion in national wheel chair cricket tournament, has been in search of a job for the last several years but the reluctance of government to implement its own made laws is considered as the main hurdle in his way of success. Arif is cricketer by profession and was also declared as the man of the match during the wheelchair cricket tournament held a week ago at the Pakistan Sports Complex, where he represented the Society of Special Persons. Sharing his plight with Pakistan Today, Arif, who completed his graduation from Government Emerson College, said so far, he was totally dependent upon his brothers, but wanted to get rid of dependence. His father was an employee of WAPDA, who served the department for 25 years.
Arif said the government had allocated a special quota for disabled persons for job allocation but, in reality, nothing was fixed for them. “I applied in a number of government departments, including WAPDA, where my father served for many years, but I faced desperation only,” he grieved. The Multan-based teenager was of only eight days when an operation of his spine was conducted due to some serious disease. Three months after the surgery, his parents came to know that polio had crippled their son. “That day was like a doomsday for my parents but they did not loose courage and struggle hard for my treatment,” said Arif, adding that they also propped up him to be active in sports.
“I was nine-year-old when, for the first time, I played cricket with my friends in my native village ‘Basti Malook’ but they refused to make me part of their team after some days, as they believed that I would prove a useless player for them.” After experiencing their attitude, he left them, Arif added.
He said his family shifted to Multan in 2001, where he started cricket in a room. “I played cricket in my room for more than three years and later joined the team of disabled persons in 2005.”
Arif said that he was three time champion of the wheelchair cricket tournament, but regretted that all his efforts could end fruitless unless the government came forward to promote special persons. “Our government has not backed and formed wheelchair cricket team, despite our sustained efforts. Therefore, it is not possible for me to depend upon my sports abilities as it cannot earn anything,” he said.
Showing his bravery against the curse of polio, Arif has made his own society for special persons and he is now fighting for the rights of disabled at different forums. “I am satisfied with my present condition. Had I was not disabled, I would not have been struggling for the rights of special persons,” remarked.
Arif is of the view that the people who have locked their disabled and special family members in a room should allow them to take part in extra-curricular activities as it can be helpful to reduce their depravedness.
He stressed the need for creating more job opportunities for the special persons. The desperate youngster also demanded President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf to form a national wheelchair cricket team.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Zahra tul Fatima, the chief executive officer of AASAAN which is working for special persons, said it was a responsibility of the government high-ups to move forward to create opportunities in every field for the disabled persons. “They can play a crucial role in the progress of the society but they need some assistance of government departments and also of the NGO sector,” she said.