Are We Born Beggars?

All those who suffer from any form of physical disability often consider themselves to be social outcasts while undergoing the same agonizing mental and emotional torture, emanating from the negative social behaviours of the people.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

“We can't give you the ATM card.”
“But why?”
“Because you are a blind man and can't properly use it.”
“I am a highly educated man and if I can successfully operate the latest computers, why can't I use the ATM card?”
“Don't waste our time by arguing with us. Go to Karachi and tell your story to the state bank officials who have prohibited all the banks from issuing ATM cards to the blind people.”

"According to the last census, almost ten per cent of our people suffer from some sort of disability and yet, neither the media, nor the government has ever made any serious attempt to highlight and solve the innumerable problems faced by this large proportion of our population."

Despite my highly successful career as a teacher and writer and my earnest endeavours to lead a normal and constructive life, this kind of humiliating discrimination has become an almost daily routine for me wherever I go. I am not the only victim of such contemptuous attitudes. All those who suffer from any form of physical disability often consider themselves to be social outcasts while undergoing the same agonizing mental and emotional torture, emanating from the negative social behaviours of the people even in this age of knowledge, enlightenment and scientific advancement. Instead of being encouraged, facilitated and accommodated into the mainstream of society, the disabled people are deliberately isolated, neglected, segregated and sidelined and treated like beggars. According to the last census, almost ten per cent of our people suffer from some sort of disability and yet, neither the media, nor the government has ever made any serious attempt to highlight and solve the innumerable problems faced by this large proportion of our population, resulting from their disabilities and more importantly from the inhuman and insensitive behaviour of the people living in our society. On the contrary, whenever some thing wrong is done to the minorities (who only make up three per cent of our population) the entire government machinery and the whole electronic and print media and all the human rights organizations become vigorously active to console them and sympathize with them. In the same way, whenever women, prostitutes, eunuchs and even homosexuals face any problem, they at once gain the attention and support of the media, the courts and the human rights organizations. But all such institutions always turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the sufferings, humiliations and injustices which the disabled people have been facing since ages. Perhaps, the reason is that such people are not considered human beings by our society and if at all they are counted among human beings, they are believed to have no rights. They are only supposed to live like beggars at the charity and mercy of others. For instance, almost 15 years ago, I opened my separate account in a bank and since then, I have been quite successfully operating it without ever having any problem or inconvenience. But now, instead of making life easier and more comfortable for the blind community, things are going the other way and thus, almost all the banks (both in the private and public sector) flatly refuse to open separate accounts for the blind, giving no consideration to their academic, financial and professional status. They are simply told to open joint accounts with others, to force them to keep their hard earned money at the mercy of others, instead of becoming self-reliant. But our chief justice has never taken any suo moto notice of such injustices, (despite countless letters written to him by the blind people in this connection) perhaps, for the simple reason that none of his own children is blind, or perhaps, such a case will not give him any publicity.

If I have physical disability, others may have mental, emotional, psychological, spiritual, moral, social or financial disability, which may make their life extremely difficult, just like mine.

It is an undeniable fact that Allah alone is perfect in all respects, whereas no human being is free from defects, short comings, flaws and weaknesses. I have a firm conviction that seen in this context, all human beings are disabled, though the disability varies from person to person. If I have physical disability, others may have mental, emotional, psychological, spiritual, moral, social or financial disability, which may make their life extremely difficult, just like mine. In spite of this fact, I have always been at a loss to understand as to why only the physical disability is regarded as a stigma and a mark of disgrace in our society. Even the nearest relatives (such as brothers, sisters and parents) of the physically disabled people deliberately prevent them from attending their social gatherings, like parties, marriages and even funerals, thinking them to be a cause of social humiliation and embarrassment and a sign of divine curse. But the same people do not feel the slightest hesitation or shame in inviting to their marriages and other parties those of their relatives and friends who are convicted criminals, confirmed liars, hypocrites, money launderers, veteran scoundrels, professional thieves and even well-known adulterers and drinkers. Why such double standards? Is it an Islamic society? Why is it that physical disability is disdainful, detestable and contemptible while moral and spiritual bankruptcy is acceptable and unobjectionable?



Ever since my childhood, I have been listening to the speeches and sermons and reading the books of the most prominent religious scholars, but none of them has ever said or written even a single sentence about the rights of people like me. Through their speeches and books, I have come to know about the rights of animals, birds, insects and even stones in Islam, but I am still waiting for someone to tell me about my rights as a blind man. So often I hear that a woman was dispatched to hell for keeping a cat hungry and another person was sent to paradise for giving water to a thirsty dog. But will ever someone tell me about the fate of those who humiliate, ridicule, hate and misbehave with human beings like me? While listening to such episodes, I often say to myself that cats and dogs are more fortunate than me, because, at least, they have got some rights, while I have none. Never in my life have I ever heard any religious scholar saying that assisting a blind man in crossing the road is also a virtuous act. As a result, quite often, I have to stand for hours and hours at roadsides, waiting for someone to guide me across the road, but no one comes to my help because people have been repeatedly told that prayers, supplications, fasting and hajj, etc. Are the only acts of piety, which can take a person to paradise?

It is my most earnest desire and prayer that deaf, dumb, blind and crippled children should be born into the families of our top state officials, because only then they
will come to know what it means to be a handicapped person.

No doubt, during the past few years, several NGOs have sprung up with the apparent agenda of the welfare and rehabilitation of the disabled people, but it is an open secret that most of them are only interested in the accumulation of their own wealth in the form of funds and donations. Moreover, the department of special education which was started in our country almost three decades ago has too proved to be a white elephant without bringing about any significant improvement in the life of the handicapped people. With a sorrow stricken heart and depressed soul, whenever I contemplate the various remedies for alleviating the virtually unending pains and sorrows of persons like me, I am overwhelmed with a single desire that comes to my lips in the form of a prayer which may seem outrageous and irritating to many, but which in my opinion is the only ray of hope for a bright and honourable future for such people. It is my most earnest desire and prayer that deaf, dumb, blind and crippled children should be born into the families of our top state officials, because only then they will come to know what it means to be a handicapped person. Only then, they will realize the intensity of the sufferings, agonies, traumas and troubles of such people, and only then they will seriously think of taking some practical steps for improving the life of these much hated and much neglected people. President Zia founded the department of special education and created job opportunities for the handicapped people in our country only because his own daughter was deaf and dumb. May Allah give another such child to some other president or prime minister of ours, in order to soften and melt his heart, so that he may initiate some prudent and practical plans to bring some joy into the dark, dull and dismal life of the ill fated handicapped people, who are still treated as if they are born beggars?