Bilawal hails driving licence bill for hearing-impaired persons

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday congratulated people with hearing impairment on the passing a bill that allows them to obtain a driving licence without a fee.

“I would like to congratulate the deaf community of Sindh on the passing of the drivers licence bill. Great work,” he tweeted.

“#InclusiveSindh Sindh was also the first province to pass comprehensive empowerment of persons with disabilities act. I hope other provinces will follow.”

He thanked Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Qassim Qammar for the “great work.”

He said that Sindh was also the first province to pass a comprehensive empowerment of persons with disabilities act. He hoped that other provinces will follow soon.

I would like to congratulate the deaf community of Sindh on the passing of the drivers licence bill. Great work @qnqamar #InclusiveSindh

Sindh was also the first province to pass a comprehensive empowerment of persons with disabilities act.

I hope other provinces will follow. pic.twitter.com/HHXyqV9Z2w

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 10, 2019

Earlier on October 8, the Sindh Assembly had passed the of the Sindh Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2019 which allows for the first time deaf and hearing impaired persons to obtain a driving license and drive freely.

The hearing-impaired people will have to equip their vehicles with certain devices to hear horns and sound of ambulance sirens with prescribed automotive and window panes.

Pakistan Association of Deaf representatives and several members were also present in the assembly to witness the historic moment. They also thanked the lawmakers for paving the way for them getting driving licence.

The bills reads that applicants having up to 40 decibels hearing loss shall wear hearing aids and in case the hearing loss exceeds 40 decibels, the applicant shall use assistive technology device.

The hearing impaired drivers would also be given special stickers to install it on back of their vehicles so that other people could aware the car was driven by an hearing impaired person.