“Right of Driving for the Deaf”
 

Pakistan Association of the Deaf (PAD) arranged an awareness raising seminar on the issue of “Right of Driving for the Deaf” in collaboration with Engro.  Mr. Mansoor Majeed,  General Secretary PAD, give a brief introduction about association’s activities. Mr. Irfan Mumtaz, President PAD, said that deaf community is facing many problem because they are not allowed to drive. He said, deaf have same responsibilities as non-deaf person, we too marry, have children, go to office, transfer children to school, drive our family members to hospital in emergency, attend social programs and meet family commitments. For us it is very hard to communicate with the taxi drivers. In emergencies, they do not understand and we have helplessly keep watching our family members who need immediate attention. Public transport is not good for families, taxi fare are too high and since we can not earn matching a non-deaf so we can not afford to use taxi for leisure or social gatherings.  We are physically fit and have good eye sight.  There are a few deaf who drive – though it is not legal. Interestingly, they have never been involved in an accident. Many developed countries have allowed deaf people to drive but our government still have to take decision on this.  We don’t know how long we have to wait to get right of driving for the deaf community ?

ENT specialist Dr. Fasihullah Mir and Mr. Zia Awan, chief of the lawyers for human rights and Legal Aid (LRA), admitted that deaf people should be granted the right of driving. Mr. Zia Awan suggested that a human rights petition should be filed in the court of law. He advised that PAD delegation should meet him in office to finalize strategy .

Mr. Akram, stage secretary for the seminar stressed that people should think positively to solve the problem instead ignoring. He said that physically challenged people have been allowed to drive but deaf are not.  If we think about disability we can not improve the situation but if we think about the ability then we can improve the situation easily. He requested the government official to think positively to support us to resolve this issue.

DIG Traffic Police, Falak Khursheed, assured complete cooperation and advised to have the law amended for issuance of driving license to the people with hearing loss.

Mr. Mudassir Khan, Deputy Secretary Home Sindh, promised to convey the concerns of the deaf to the relevant authorities.

Deaf artist Furqan Hasan, Ejaz Rasheed, and Imran present short skits projecting various problems faced by deaf people because of the discrimination in law that prohibits deaf people from driving.

“Walk a Cause” was organized at the culmination of the seminar which was widely attended by scores of persons showing solidarity to their deaf brothers and sisters. Mr. Zia Awan Advocate, Mr. Wajid H. Junejo and other notables accompanied the walk participants from PC Hotel to Karachi Press Club under the lead of  Mr. Ghulam Nabi Nazmni, Vice Chairman, DPI AP,  to encourage the deaf community.