Everybody should encourage the blind, says General Zarrar

Staff Report

LAHORE: People celebrate White Cane Safety Day in the city on Wednesday to highlight the problems being faced by blind people. Several events were held in which people from all walks of life participated.

The major function to honour the blind was arranged at Aziz Jehan Begum Trust (AJBTB) for Blind. Addressing the occasion, Corps Commander Lieutenant General Zarrar Azim said people should be educated to be polite and respect the handicapped rather than feel sorry for them. He urged people to help the handicapped rehabilitate and join the pleasures of life. He stressed opening new institutions to educate the blind. The corps commander said people should encourage the handicapped and arrange events to provide them a supportive environment.

Lt Gen Azim urged philanthropists and welfare organisations to come forward and help the blind people. He assured Aziz Jehan Begum Trust that he would try his best to help it increase education facilities for the blind and expand services to remote areas of Pakistan. He praised Aziz Jehan Chief Executive Salahuddin Jeddy and his wife for their dedication to maintaining international education standards at their institution.

The trust was founded in 1989 as a charitable non-government organisation. Presently 72 male and female students of various ages are studying at the trust school which showed very good results in the Bachelors exams this year. Three students Saima Salim, Saira Butt and Maria Nazeer scored high first division and were admitted to Kinnaird College and Government College University for a masters degree in English Literature. Hina Altaf and Imran Ahmad got 79 percent and 74 percent marks in intermediate with computer science (ICS) and were sent to Carroll College in America on scholarship for higher education.

Another function regarding White Cane Safety Day was held at Children’s Complex and was arranged by the Punjab Special Education Department. Addressing the audience, Punjab Chief Minister’s Adviser Dr Fozia Asghar said the Punjab government had allocated Rs 150 million for special education institutes in the province. She said the government planned a project to appoint qualified teachers to special education institutions.

She said it was the moral, religious and national duty of every Pakistani to cooperate with the handicapped, especially blind children. Blind girls and boys from Government Institute for the Blind at Sheranwala Gate recited poems. Students from the Government Training College for the Teachers of the Blind also participated in this ceremony. Later, shields were given to blind students, teachers and guests by the Special Education Department. Special Education Secretary Sohail Masood and Special Education Director Muhammad Sadiq also address on this occasion.

A walk was also arranged in Johar Town and thousands of people participated in it.

History: The need to observe a day for the blind was felt after the world wars, which left a large number of people handicapped, many from them blind. A movement was run in this regard which was recognised in early 1960s, when two blind people in the United States lost their lives in road accidents. The accused defended themselves by saying they were not aware the two were blind.

A resolution was moved which was also adopted in the United Nations that declared October 15 to be marked as ‘World Blind Day and the white cane was announced as a symbol of blindness. So, it was decided that a blind person would be carrying a white cane so that others could recognise the person as blind. Lion George A Bonham of the Petoria, Illinois in America invented the white cane stick in 1930.

Over the years, the white cane has become a symbol for the blind throughout the world.

Home | National