By Shawaz Hussain
(The author is former Officer of Pakistan Navy. His sight was damaged on duty. He faced his circumstances bravely and secured many educational achievements after retirement. He runs a motivational school in Lahore and contribute to the society in multiple sectors including education, career building and philanthropy)
As a global disability rights advocate, social activist, environmentalist, and peace promoter, I have dedicated my life to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Today, as the CEO of the Mayday Foundation, I raise a groundbreaking demand for the first time in Pakistan’s history: the allocation of reserved seats for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Senate, National Assembly, and Provincial Assemblies.
This call is not merely symbolic; it is a critical step toward genuine inclusion, representation, and empowerment for the estimated 27 to 30 million PWDs in Pakistan—a demographic that constitutes approximately 12-15% of the population, according to varying estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
These figures, drawn from the 2017 census and updated NADRA data as of 2025, highlight a stark reality: despite comprising a significant portion of society, PWDs remain systematically excluded from political decision-making processes.
Pakistan’s disability landscape is marked by profound inequalities. The PBS reports that functional limitations affect millions, with disabilities ranging from physical and sensory impairments to intellectual and developmental conditions. Gallup Pakistan’s 2023 survey indicates that 3.1% of the population self-reports disabilities, but this underestimates the true scale, as stigma and inadequate data collection obscure the full picture.
The Paradigm Shift report (2025) pegs the number at 27 million, while the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) cites 30 million, aligning with WHO global benchmarks where 15% of populations in low- and middle-income countries live with disabilities.
These statistics underscore a crisis: PWDs face unemployment rates exceeding 70% in some regions, limited access to education (with only 5-10% enrollment in higher education per UNESCO data), and heightened vulnerability to poverty, abuse, and exclusion.
Internationally, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by Pakistan in 2011, mandates full political participation under Article 29. Yet, Pakistan lags behind global standards, where countries like Uganda reserve five parliamentary seats for PWDs, Kenya nominates representatives to its Senate, and Burkina Faso includes them in transitional assemblies. My demand for reserved seats—proposing at least 5% allocation across assemblies—aims to bridge this gap, ensuring PWDs influence policies that directly affect them.
The foundation for this demand lies in Pakistan’s evolving legal framework on disability rights. The Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance of 1981 was a pioneering effort, establishing a 2% employment quota in public and private sectors for establishments with 100 or more employees.
It defined disability broadly as any handicap impeding gainful employment due to injury, disease, or congenital deformity, and created a rehabilitation fund financed by employer contributions for non-compliance. Provinces adapted this: Punjab raised the quota to 3%, Sindh to 5%.
The Ordinance also provided for registration of PWDs, vocational training, and age relaxations of 10 years for civil service appointments. However, its implementation has been inconsistent, with compliance rates below 50% in many sectors, as per a 2024 Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) audit.
Critically, it aligned Pakistan with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention No. 159 on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons, ratified in 1994.
Building on this, the ICT Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2020—enacted for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) but serving as a model for national reform—repealed the 1981 Ordinance in ICT and introduced comprehensive protections. Assented on September 22, 2020, the Act prohibits discrimination (Section 3), ensures equality before the law (Section 4), and mandates accessibility in public spaces, transport, and information (Section 7).
It establishes the Council on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Section 21) to monitor implementation, handle complaints, and promote awareness. Employment provisions retain quotas (Sections 10, 24), while emphasizing reasonable accommodations and penalties for violations. The Act also protects vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly with disabilities (Section 6), guarantees free education and healthcare (Sections 9, 11), and aligns with Islamic injunctions, the Constitution, and UNCRPD principles.
Yet, five years post-enactment, implementation remains sluggish. A 2024 LinkedIn analysis by climate and disability expert Fayyaz Yaseen notes persistent gaps in enforcement, with low awareness and inadequate funding hindering progress. The MoHR’s 2020 report on domestic human rights obligations highlights that while the Act complies with UNCRPD Articles 5 (equality), 9 (accessibility), and 27 (work), actual rollout—such as barrier-free infrastructure—covers less than 20% of public buildings in ICT.
The UNCRPD, adopted in 2006 and effective from 2008, provides the international benchmark. With 191 ratifications as of 2025, it emphasizes non-discrimination (Article 5), independent living (Article 19), and political participation (Article 29), requiring states to ensure voting accessibility and representation. Pakistan’s ratification commits it to progressive realization, but without reserved seats, PWDs’ voices are muted in legislative bodies.
My advocacy marks the first national call for such reservations, echoing successful models in Africa and Asia. In Uganda, reserved seats have led to policies like the 2019 Persons with Disabilities Act, improving employment from 2% to 4% quota adherence. Kenya’s 2010 Constitution nominates PWD representatives, resulting in a 15% increase in disability-inclusive budgeting per World Bank data.
Nigeria’s 2025 proposal for 5% reserved seats in its National Assembly demonstrates momentum in the Global South. Adopting similar measures in Pakistan could elevate PWD representation, fostering laws that address the 70% unemployment rate among PWDs (PBS 2023) and aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 10 on reduced inequalities.
Immediate Steps are Needed for the Welfare of Special Persons : Shawaz Baloch
To realize this vision and enhance the quality of life for PWDs, the Government of Pakistan must take decisive, measurable steps. These recommendations, grounded in statistical evidence and international standards, build on the 2020 Act and UNCRPD.
First, establish a dedicated monitoring cell, team, and toll-free complaint hotline under the Ministry of Human Rights. This would centralize grievance redressal, tracking violations with real-time data. Globally, such mechanisms—like India’s National Commission for Persons with Disabilities—have resolved over 80% of complaints annually, per UN reports. In Pakistan, with abuse rates against PWDs at 40% (WHO 2022), this cell could integrate with the Council’s functions (Act Section 22), ensuring compliance monitoring and annual reports to Parliament.
Second, create special counters and desks at hospitals, transport terminals, airports, railway stations, hotels, NADRA offices, and passport centers, operating under Federal and Provincial Disability Councils. Linked to NADRA via biometric systems, these would facilitate data collection, addressing the current undercounting where only 2.5 million PWDs are registered (NADRA 2025). This aligns with UNCRPD Article 31 on statistics, potentially increasing accurate data by 50%, as seen in Brazil’s similar initiatives.
Third, issue advisories to all government and private organizations for strict implementation of the 1981 Ordinance and 2020 Act clauses, supervised by the MoHR. This would promote alignment between public and private sectors, with performance scorecards (Act Section 22). International standards, like the EU’s Disability Strategy 2021-2030, emphasize such oversight, which could boost quota adherence from 40% to 70% in Pakistan, per PIDE projections.
Fourth, develop purpose-built model housing societies in Islamabad and major cities, featuring accessible infrastructure, special schools, and hospitals. With 60% of PWDs in urban areas facing housing barriers (Gallup 2023), these societies—modeled on Singapore’s barrier-free estates—would enhance independent living (UNCRPD Article 19), reducing poverty rates by 20-30% through integrated services.
Fifth, set up special khidmat (service) centers providing legal, medical, technical assistance, and aids like wheelchairs, hearing devices, talking mobiles, laptops, white canes, and adapted vehicles. Subsidized or free, these centers could serve the 10 million PWDs needing assistive technology (WHO estimates), drawing from India’s Accessible India Campaign, which distributed aids to 5 million beneficiaries.
Sixth, increase employment quotas from 2-3% to 5% in government and private sectors. Current quotas leave 90% of PWDs unemployed (PBS 2025); a 5% mandate, as in Sindh, could create 500,000 jobs, aligning with ILO recommendations and UNCRPD Article 27.
Seventh, allocate a 10% quota for civil awards to PWDs, recognizing their contributions and combating stigma. This would mirror international honors like the UN’s Disability Rights Champions, boosting societal inclusion.
Eighth, establish a dedicated Ministry or Division for Special Persons to coordinate policies, as in Malaysia’s Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, which has improved disability outcomes by 25%.
Ninth, appoint PWDs as advisors to the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, ensuring direct input into governance, per UNCRPD Article 4 on consultation.
Tenth, integrate disability risk reduction into national disaster management, prioritizing PWDs in crises (Act Section 20), where they face 2-4 times higher mortality rates (UN 2023).
As the first voice for Pakistan’s 27-30 million PWDs, I urge immediate action. Reserved seats and these reforms would not only fulfill legal obligations but elevate Pakistan to international standards, fostering a truly inclusive society. The time for change is now—let us make disability rights a national priority.
