Nangarhar disabled persons lack homes, jobs

AVA- Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities here, the displaced individuals shared some of their problems and issues with authorities concerned.
As many as 7,000 disabled people are registered with the Department of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled in Nangarhar and most of them are provided their due rights.
Masoud Sapi, head of the Disabled Persons Union in Nangarhar, said in line with the law, disabled persons should be provided a three percent quota of jobs in government institutions but this law could not be implemented so far.
He said another issue with disabled persons was non-availability of homes, adding the handicapped persons still visited different departments seeking land plots to build home for themselves, but they remained deprived of the facility.
Haji Alef Khan, a disabled person who lost his one leg to the conflict, said he was always denied job because of his disability.
Lal Zaman, another disabled person, said they had been offered seven percent quota in three Nangarhar townships and that too only on papers.
“In Chamtali Township, plots have been awarded to disabled persons but without documents while in Qasemabad and Hesar-i-Shahi townships, documents of plots are provided but there are no plots,” he said.
Abdul Hakim Sherzad, head of the Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled department, said disabled people enjoyed more facilities compared to the past and efforts were underway to further facilitate them.
He acknowledged disabled persons still faced issues while visiting government offices and public places, but pledged to resolve all these issues.
Referring to plot issue, he said a delegation from Kabul had launched its survey in this regard and disabled persons were given jobs as per their abilities.