Sindh assembly passes law to grant lisences to people with hearing disabilities

Karachi: The The Sindh Assembly approved an amendment to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, under which people with hearing disabilities can get driving licenses.

The government has waived the license fee for applicants with mild or severe hearing loss. Furthermore, only officers experienced in sign language will conduct the driving test.

Syed Qassim Naveed Qamar, special assistant to Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah, said it was a historic moment.

“Hearing-impaired people had been waiting for this moment for years,” he said, adding that Sindh is the first province to take this step. “Passing the bill would bring about a positive change in the lives of those who faced hearing impairment,” he remarked.

The special assistant said the approval of the bill was made possible with the help of PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and CM Shah.

Shah praised the role of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Sindh Assembly members for the preparation of the bill. He said the Sindh government is keenly interested in the rights of disabled people.

“The government is working on special ID cards, disability certificates, construction of ramps, special washrooms and implementation of five percent of quota in public and private institutions for people with disabilites,” he added.