Disabled Genius

by Fatima Zaidi

“Sympathy is an art”, says Ali Hasan, a student of B.A Hons. enrolled in the evening program of Department of Mass Communication, University of Karachi. Physically disabled by birth due to polio virus, Ali has made a brilliant example out of himself for not only the likes of him but also for those who do not have to face such challenges. Sitting on his wheelchair under a tree with his table, all set for selling phone cards and some stationery items from morning to noon, at some distance from the University’s main entrance, Ali is etched in the minds of students and visitors who pass by him every day. What makes him visible is not the ideal spot which he has chosen for himself but his marvellous strength and energy.

Children with disabilities remain one of the main groups being widely excluded from quality education. Disability is recognised as one of the least visible yet most potent factor in educational marginalisation. The attitudinal problems towards disabled people were previously limited to families and communities outside of educational institutions as such children stayed out of institutes either due to the degrading attitude of the people around them or because of religious and cultural norms. Thanks to rapid urbanization that we saw a number of countries realizing the importance of raising public awareness towards senior citizens as well as mentally and physically challenged persons. In our society though a change in the attitude, be it in the family, community or society as a whole, is still pending.

Where the role of University of Karachi should be lauded for opening its doors for physically impaired students, it has by and large failed to provide adequate amount of structural accommodation for them. “I have to wait for someone to bring my wheelchair after which I’m carried inside the department, things would get much easier if ramps be made a necessary part of the initial design plan of a department”, says Ali. “The society does not know how to react when they see a physically disabled person, although they in no way mean any harm but they sympathize very awkwardly, and this can all be done away with if a proper policy regarding physically disabled people is ensured by the state. I want them to understand that it is not easy for me to ask people to carry me up the stairs day in and day out, it hurts my self-respect”, he further adds. He, however, said that he has spoken to the department Chairperson and happily added that his feedback was very positive, although no development has yet been done.

Another problem which adds to the vows of physically disabled students is the absence of ramps in the bus service provided by the university. “Had it not been for my vehicle which I got customized according to my needs, I would not have been able to get out of my house let alone go to university”, says Ali, while talking about lack of proper transportation facilities. “There should not only be ramps at the entrance of points but also special seats for physically disabled students”, he adds.

Despite repeated visits to the Administration block of the university no “concerned personnel” were available to talk about the matter. However, no policies or facilities for disabled students are listed under the Facilities for the Students column in the hand book provided by the university.

“He is an encyclopaedia in himself”. He is not only a good student but his general knowledge amazes me, I can easily say that he is far more learned than any other student in this department”, says Ali Raza, classmate and a close friend of Ali. His friend was of the opinion that instead of strengthening him and appreciating him for carrying on with his studies and looking his challenges in the eye, Ali is time and again reminded that it’s a new struggle for him every day.

It is indeed unfortunate to see that a student like Ali cannot visit the seminar library as well as the audio/visual and computer lab, as all of them are situated on the first floor of the department. He may not be the only physically challenged student studying in the University of Karachi, but he definitely is one of the very few who took pride in his disability and made it a point to achieve his ambitions. However, the question which arises is not if Ali should or shouldn’t have gone against the odds but whether the system facilitated him in overcoming his physical shortcomings.

Fatima is a student of Mass Communication Undergraduate Program in Karachi University, and is part of the Organizing Committee of National Students Federation, Pakistan (@NsfPak)