KARACHI:
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to extending full support to farmers and families affected by devastating floods, while also pledging to strengthen law and order across the province and expand inclusive development programs for marginalized communities.
The chief minister was speaking to the media on Wednesday after inaugurating the Center of Excellence for Disability Inclusion in Korangi, Karachi. The state-of-the-art facility has been established by the provincial Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with the NOWPDP (Network of Organizations Working for Persons with Disabilities Pakistan) program and several national and international partners.
The CM inaugurated the 34,000-square-foot Inclusion Center, describing it as the largest and most advanced facility of its kind in Pakistan. The center is designed to provide vocational training, economic empowerment, and dignified employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The facility includes a wheelchair manufacturing unit, IT and textile training labs, industrial sewing rooms, packaging workshops, culinary and beautician programs, as well as rehabilitation services for neurodiverse individuals.
During his visit, Shah interacted with children and young trainees – including hearing- and visually-impaired students engaged in IT and creative work, women learning beauty skills, and youth receiving training in cooking and textile manufacturing.
“I am truly pleased to see their talent,” Shah remarked. “These children and young people will become the pride of Pakistan.” He stressed that the provincial government would continue to invest in welfare and inclusion, calling the new center “a milestone in empowering persons with disabilities.”
Driving licenses for persons with disabilities
During the inauguration, participants requested that trained persons with disabilities be facilitated in obtaining driving licenses. Responding on the spot, Shah summoned DIG Driving License Branch Younus Chandio to the venue and directed him to hold professional driving tests at the center. He instructed that successful candidates be issued licenses without delay.
In a symbolic gesture, the CM also took a short rickshaw ride with a trained driver with disabilities, praising his skills and directing that all formalities be completed to issue him a license.
In conclusion, Murad Ali Shah reiterated his government’s dual commitment: to ensure law and order across Sindh and to promote inclusive development that leaves no community behind. “This is only the beginning,” he said. “Together, we will build a brighter future for the next generations.”
Flood relief and farmers’ package
Shah reminded reporters that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had earlier called for declaring an agricultural emergency in the wake of massive flood losses. “Acting on his direction, the Sindh government has already prepared a comprehensive relief package for farmers,” the CM said.
He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of an agricultural emergency and the establishment of a federal committee to assess the crisis. Shah also endorsed the federal government’s decision to seek assistance from the United Nations and international partners, stressing that the scale of destruction required a global response.
The CM warned that if timely interventions were not made, Pakistan could face an acute wheat shortage after December and January. He noted that last year’s wheat production had dropped by 20 percent because farmers were unable to get fair prices, and if the trend continued, the crisis could worsen. “Bilawal Bhutto’s demand for an agricultural emergency is not just for the farmers – it is in the interest of the entire nation,” Shah emphasized.
