Visually impaired end protest after more ‘empty promises’

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Visually impaired protesters ended their demonstration after receiving a list of guarantees from the Punjab government on Thursday.

Their movement for permanent jobs started in December 2014, and also faced the highhandedness of the Punjab Police. The protest intensified this week after the blind persons were not awarded permanent jobs, as promised to them in March of this year.

They held a demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly for three days after which the higher authorities in the government held negotiations with the protesters. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Zakat and Usher Malik Nadeem Kamran, Minister for Human Rights Khaleel Tahir, Mian Aslam Iqbal, a PTI member of provincial assembly (MPA) and the Social Welfare Department secretary signed an agreement with the protesters so that they would call off their demonstrations.

The agreement reads that 2,900 jobs have been advertised in Punjab for disabled candidates and from now on, the blinds would be given priority in the quota. All the daily waged blind employees will continue to receive their wages until they get permanent status. The agreement further states that the Social Welfare Department will take special interest in appointing highly qualified blind people in the Higher Education Department. A special meeting in this regard will be held under the chair of Senator Saud Majeed so that some decisive measures can be taken, the letter stated.

Some members from the B1 category rejected the agreement and blocked the Metro Bus Track near Kalma Chowk on Thursday. There are three categories of blinds as B1, B2 and B3. The blinds of B1 category are completely blind while B2 and B3 have a little bit of sight.

The protesters at Kalma Chowk were subdued after they were told that they would be put on a bus and taken to Hamza Shahbaz for negotiations. However, the lot was taken to the office of the director general Social Welfare Department instead, for which they cried foul.

Ali Jaun, who has a bachelor’s degree from the Government College University Lahore, told Pakistan Today that the movement by the blind people desperately needs a leader otherwise they will continue to receive empty promises from the government. “We’ll wait for three months and if the demands not fulfilled then we’ll be on the roads again,” he said.

The negotiating team was contacted several times by no one was available for a comment.

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