- Advertisement -
RAWALPINDI, Nov 05 (APP): The Phase-III of the Himmat Card Programme for persons with disabilities was launched at a ceremony organised by the Department of Social Welfare and Baitul Mal Punjab on Wednesday.
Punjab Minister for Social Welfare and Baitul Mal Sohail Shaukat Butt as chief guest distributed assistive devices among 65 persons with disabilities, and Himmat Cards among 45 beneficiaries. The devices included tricycles, electric and manual wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
Member of the National Assembly Tahira Aurangzeb also participated in the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Sohail Shaukat Butt said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was taking practical steps to serve the people.
The provincial government, he said, had set a target of distributing Himmat Cards to 200,000 persons with disabilities next year. He noted that 65,000 individuals received Himmat Cards and assistive devices last year, while the number rose to 100,000 this year. Under the programme, Rs10,500 is paid to each beneficiary on a quarterly basis.
MNA Tahira Aurangzeb said the chief minister was “the voice of the oppressed class”, and that supporting vulnerable segments of society was vital for creating an inclusive and humane community.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Daniyal Chaudhry, MNAs Zahra Fatima and Huma Chughtai, Punjab Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Shazia Rizwan, MPA Tahira Mushtaq, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hassan Waqar Cheema, Director Social Welfare Rawalpindi Muhammad Shahid Rana and other officials attended the ceremony.
Deputy Director Social Welfare Rawalpindi Rukhsana Mazhar Awan served as focal person for the event, while Deputy Directors Khizr Hayat Khan (Jhelum), Waseem Abbas Khan (Chakwal) and Haseeb Ahmed (Attock) were also present.