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Mission to Pakistan
5-12 July 2006

The APCD Mission to Pakistan was to 1) survey Sesar District, Bagh, the earthquake affected area, and 2) join the Seminar on Independent Living.

The mission visited the Sesar District, Bagh AJK (Kashmir) located in the Himalaya Mountains partially covering Jammu & Kashmir, where Ms. Nazreen Aziz, an ex-participant of APCD and school teacher, discovered approximately 1,200 persons with disabilities and organized a DPO, Charagh-e-Manzil. After the earthquake, she met with other leaders with disabilities to assist her with a project on a barrier-free environment to support many people who became disabled due to the earthquake. Moreover, she plans to formulate fundraising activities to reconstruct a school that was damaged by the earthquake in the Bagh AJK area in 2005. The assessment by the Earthquake Reconstruction Rehabilitation Authority, noted that this school should be rebuilt.

The mission visited Bagh City to join a Workshop on Persons with Disabilities and Reconstruction of Earthquakeaffected areas. At the workshop, Mr. Topong Kulkhanchit, APCD Resource Person and Executive Board Member, and DPI/Asia-Pacific Regional Development Officer, emphasized that accessible school models to be built should be promoted as well as inclusive education. Ms. Nasreen Aziz stated the importance of peer-counseling and an Independent Living Center.

The mission attended a Special Session Seminar on Independent Living organized by the Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP) in Islamabad on 9 July 2006. Mr. Atif Sheikh, STEP President, opened the session for 40 participants from across Pakistan. The aim of the seminar was to contribute to the efforts of the Independent Living Centers who were actively involved in reconstrucion and rehabilitation of the Communities, especially after the earthquake in 2005. A wide range of issues pertaining to persons with severe disabilities, independent living centers, and problems related to their implementation were discussed. Substantive sessions were organized with the participation of APCD resource persons and organizations of representatives of disabled peoples' organizations. The sessions consisted of topics a "STEP towards Independent Living" and a "Presentation on Case Studies of Severely Disabled Persons".

APCD will further collaborate to empower and strengthen a barrier-free society for persons with disabilities in Pakistan.