ISLAMABAD, May 26 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday emphasized the need for making public places more accessible to differently-abled people (DAPs), so that they could not face any problems.
He also directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to increase the number of ramps at public places and construct toilets to facilitate physically challenged people.
The president expressed these views while chairing a meeting on providing enabling environment to persons with disabilities, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The president observed that society needed to adopt a cooperative and friendly approach towards DAPs enabling them to easily perform their routine tasks.
The meeting was attended by the vice chancellors and heads of departments of architecture of various universities, chairman, CDA, and senior officials of the government.
The president emphasized the need to improve accessibility for physically challenged people to existing buildings so as to provide a conducive environment to them and he sought suggestions from architects to help in designing ramps, toilets and future public buildings in order to provide safe and easy access to DAPs.
The architects proposed various solutions for architectural improvements to cater to the needs of persons with disabilities.
The president said that teachers and students of universities, particularly the departments of architecture, could play significant role in responding to society’s needs by guiding and advising CDA and other concerned organizations in building ramps and DAPs friendly buildings.
The president also underlined the need for reserving separate places in parking areas for persons with disabilities.
The chairman, CDA briefed the meeting about the steps taken by the organization for the facilitation of DAPs. He informed that ramps had been built at various locations and construction of toilets for DAPs was also underway.
He also appreciated the efforts made by CDA for facilitation of DAPs.
