PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will set up the first Braille printing press to facilitate visually-impaired persons across the province.
The Braille printing press will be established at the government-owned Institute for Blind Peshawar. The Braille printer is an impact device that creates tactile dots on heavy paper, making written documents accessible to blind individuals.
Minister for Social Welfare Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan said the provincial government has set aside Rs40.3 million to launch the printing press within a month.
He said the government was utilizing all available resources to ensure quality and modern education facilities to physically challenged people and make them useful members of society. He said the government had allocated a special job quota for blind people in public sector, adding that digital tools will be distributed among blind persons.
While speaking to a media outlet, director social welfare, special education and women empowerment, Habib Khan Afridi said the province lacked the facility and relied heavily on a printing press in Lahore.
He said they have developed customized software in Urdu and Pashtu languages that will make writing material more user-friendly for blind persons.
He said there are about 148,000 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the provincial database although the actual number could be much higher. This included people with visual, hearing, physical impairments, and intellectual disabilities.
Afridi said that PWDs were entitled to certain benefits, such as two percent quota in all government jobs and Rs3,000 monthly mobility allowance after receiving employment.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Association for Blind Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has appreciated the government for taking this valuable initiative for visually impaired people.
