Experts of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Commend Pakistan’s Complaints Mechanisms for Persons with Disabilities, Ask about Persons with Disabilities on Death Row and Support for Persons with Disabilities Affected by Recent Floods
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today concluded its consideration of the initial report of Pakistan on its implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Committee Experts commended the State’s complaints mechanisms for persons with disabilities, while asking questions on persons with disabilities on death row and support for persons with disabilities affected by recent floods.
Miyeon Kim, Committee Chair, said in opening remarks that the recent and unfortunate ongoing conflict in the Middle East had prevented the Pakistani delegation from being present. Rather than postpone the dialogue, the Committee had decided to follow established practice and pose its questions to the Permanent Mission and request it to relay the questions to the capital. The State party was expected to submit written responses to the secretariat by no later than 18 March.
Introducing the report, Bilal Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said this dialogue was taking place at an extraordinary moment marked by a large-scale conflict in the State’s immediate neighbourhood. However, Pakistan attached great importance to the dialogue, which was vital for continued progress towards achieving an inclusive and equitable society.
Mr. Ahmad said protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, and ensuring their full inclusion was a priority of the Pakistani Government. The State had developed a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to protect their rights.
Posing questions, Muhannad Salah Al-Azzeh, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, welcomed that there were several complaints mechanisms at federal and provincial levels for persons with disabilities in Pakistan.
He also welcomed the judicial decision that stated that persons with psychosocial disabilities were not to be subjected to the death penalty. Were other persons with disabilities subjected to the death penalty? How many were currently on death row?
Mr. Al-Azzeh said Pakistan had recently experienced several natural disasters, including floods in 2022 and 2025, which had reportedly affected two million persons with disabilities, 30 per cent of Pakistan’s entire population of persons with disabilities. What services had the State provided affected people with?
Rehab Mohammed Boresli, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, added that many persons with disabilities had encountered difficulties in being evacuated and accessing humanitarian aid following the floods. What steps had been taken to ensure that early warnings and shelters were accessible, and that disaster management policies were developed in line with the Convention?
In concluding remarks, Amalia Gamio Rios, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, said the Committee was aware of the efforts being undertaken by the State party for persons with disabilities. However, persons with disabilities in rural areas and persons with psychosocial disabilities continued to be marginalised; there was a lack of mainstreaming options in the education system; and more measures were needed to protect persons with disabilities from segregation and ill-treatment in institutions, trafficking and forced begging, and to empower women and girls with disabilities. The Committee urged the State party to continue its efforts to implement the Convention and the Committee’s recommendations.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Ahmad thanked the members of the Committee for their insightful remarks and constructive observations during the dialogue. The Permanent Mission would convey the Committee’s questions to the Government and receive answers. The State party would continue to do its best despite its resource constraints. It had come a long away and sought to do the best it could for persons with disabilities.
The delegation of Pakistan consisted of representatives of the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Pakistan at the end of its thirty-fourth session, which concludes on 26 March. The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 12 March at 10 a.m. to begin its examination of the initial report of Samoa (CRPD/C/WSM/1).
Report
The Committee has before it the initial report of Pakistan (CRPD/C/PAK/1).
Opening Remarks
MIYEON KIM, Committee Chair, said in opening remarks that although intense preparatory work for the present dialogue had taken place since last year, including interaction between the Committee’s secretariat and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the recent and unfortunate ongoing conflict in the Middle East had prevented the delegation from being present. Rather than postpone the dialogue, the Committee had decided to follow established practice and pose its questions to the Permanent Mission and request it to relay the questions to the capital. The State party was expected to submit written responses to the secretariat by no later than 18 March.
Presentation of Report
BILAL AHMAD, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said this dialogue was taking place at an extraordinary moment marked by a large-scale conflict in the State’s immediate neighbourhood. This conflict had profoundly affected life in Pakistan, both at the individual and national levels. Yesterday, the Government had taken exceptional financial and administrative measures to cope with the evolving situation. These developments had also prevented the delegation from participating in the dialogue. Pakistan attached great importance to the dialogue, which was vital for continued progress towards achieving an inclusive and equitable society in the country.
Pakistan was a diverse country with a population of 247 million people. Out of this, approximately 3.1 per cent of the population had some form of disability. Protecting their rights and dignity, and ensuring the full inclusion of this large and vulnerable section of the society, was a priority of the Government. The State had developed a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to protect the rights of its citizens, particularly the rights of persons with disabilities. Strict compliance with its international commitments formed an integral part of this framework. Pakistan was an active member of regional collaborations and initiatives related to persons with disabilities, including the Incheon Strategy and the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2023-2032.
Federal, provincial and district councils in Pakistan were structured to include representatives of persons with disabilities to oversee their rehabilitation, employment and rights. Three persons with disabilities were members of the Council mandated under the Islamabad Capital Territory rights of persons with disability act 2020. Furthermore, Government employment quotas for persons with disabilities had been established. At the federal level, the total employment quota was two per cent; 5,597 persons with disabilities, including 5,172 males and 441 females, had been employed thus far. Various regional quotas had also been established.
Pakistan's federal and provincial laws on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities called for the removal of barriers and the promotion of equal access to the physical environment, transportation, information, communications, and other facilities and services. Extensive steps had been taken to ensure accessibility to persons with disabilities to all public places, including parks, housing, pedestrian pathways, and other public places. All provinces had adopted dedicated women empowerment and gender equality policies that promoted inclusive development and sought to address the needs of women with disabilities.
The inclusion of children with disabilities was also being promoted through policies on inclusive education, health, rehabilitation and social protection that ensured early identification, referral, reasonable accommodation, and accessible services. Efforts were also underway to integrate students from special education institutions into mainstream schools and advance inclusion at all levels. The Special Education Departments at the federal and provincial levels provided free transport services to children with disabilities. The National Commission on the Rights of the Child further supported disability-inclusive child rights through accessible consultations and strengthened coordination among relevant institutions.
The Government had introduced a flagship social safety and financial inclusion programme, the Benazir income support programme, which had approximately 10 million beneficiaries, particularly women with disabilities living in rural areas, who had access to unconditional cash transfers and health and nutrition support. Between 2019 and 2025, the Pakistan Bait ul Mal office within the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety had allocated 1,082 million Pakistani rupees for persons with disabilities. Additionally, the State Bank of Pakistan, through a loan scheme, offered dedicated financing for persons with disabilities to start or expand businesses, encouraging economic empowerment.
Access to healthcare services for persons with disabilities in Pakistan was guided by the principle of non-discrimination and inclusion, as enshrined in national policies. On 3 December 2021, Pakistan launched the rapid assistive technology assessment report and became the first country to conduct a national survey assessing needs and barriers to access to assistive technologies. Pakistan’s Bait ul Mal provided persons with disabilities with assistive devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, white canes and artificial limbs. Various assistive devices were also distributed at the provincial level. Pakistan was continuously working to upgrade infrastructure and remove physical barriers to access.
Special attention was being given to raising awareness on issues of persons with disabilities among the public. Some 493 judges, 100 police officers, 45 prosecutors, and 450 advocates had received specialised training on disability rights and legal protections for persons with disabilities. The National Institute of Special Education had conducted 241 training courses, workshops and seminars between 2019-2025, reaching over 127,000 individuals. More than 5,000 counselling and awareness sessions were organised for parents of children with disabilities, teachers from public and private schools, and other stakeholders. The Institute also trained over 1,300 teachers on inclusive education initiatives. Further, skills trainings were being imparted to increase the employment of persons with disabilities, and local communities were engaged to participate in the rehabilitation process of persons with disabilities through seminars and workshops in collaboration with employers' organizations.
Since the ratification of the Convention in 2011, the legislative framework had been strengthened through the introduction of several laws both at the federal and provincial levels for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, including the Islamabad Capital Territory rights of persons with disability act 2020; the Punjab empowerment of persons with disabilities act 2022; the Sindh persons with disability empowerment act 2018; and the Balochistan persons with disabilities act 2017. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had also drafted a bill which was being considered by the provincial cabinet. This new legislation placed an obligation on the State to recognise persons with disabilities as rights holders, requiring wide accommodations to ensure their full and equal participation in all spheres of life.
Medical Assessment Boards had been mandated under domestic laws to develop and approve a standardised framework for disability assessment, aimed at determining the extent of disability based on severity. The National Database and Regulatory Authority issued disability certificates nationwide.
The national policy on persons with disabilities of 2002 and its 2006 action plan laid the foundation for disability inclusion in Pakistan. A comprehensive national action plan for human rights was also being implemented since 2016; it had been amended in 2020. This plan included key measures such as the implementation of accessible building codes; mandatory disability impact assessments in development projects; and the provision of financial assistance to persons with disabilities.
Robust complaint redressal and remedial mechanisms had been established to ensure access to justice for persons with disabilities. These included not only formal judicial institutions but independent oversight monitoring mechanisms comprising national human rights institutions. The Superior Judiciary also played an effective role in this through its judgements. Accessible helplines were functional at national and provincial levels to receive complaints from persons with disabilities.
Climate change induced floods had repeatedly hit Pakistan, and special attention was being paid to ensure that the needs of vulnerable communities, including persons with disabilities, were considered during rescue and relief operations. The national disaster response plan was updated following the 2022 floods to strengthen disability inclusive measures, including directing provincial disaster management authorities to maintain disaggregated data on vulnerable groups, and incorporating disability-sensitive evacuation planning and accessible shelter design.
Progress was visible in the growing participation of persons with disabilities in education and professional life. Pakistani universities, guided by the Higher Education Commission's policy for students with disabilities, had introduced accessibility measures, assistive technologies, and support services to ensure equal opportunities for higher learning.
Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, office spaces had been revamped to make them accessible for persons with disabilities, as the number of staff with special needs was increasing. In the last few years, eight persons with disabilities had joined the Ministry after passing Pakistan's Central Superior Services Exam.
Despite these commitments and actions resulting in a significant number of success stories, challenges remained. For developing nations like Pakistan struggling with climate change induced disasters, poverty, an acute lack of resources, and low literacy rates, empowering the entire community of persons with disabilities was a long haul. This task required constant support and guidance from international partners. Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to upholding the Convention and all international human rights treaties to which the State was a party.
Questions by Committee Experts
MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, expressed regret that the Pakistani delegation could not participate in person. Pakistan was unique in the Islamic world in terms of its attempts to make tangible changes in the area of disability. Mr. Al-Azzeh said that he had witnessed engagement and motivation from many Pakistanis to achieve practical changes for persons with disabilities. However, there was an absence of institutionalised, strategic work for persons with disabilities in the State, and no clear policy framework to ensure good governance and engagement of persons with disabilities.
The Government had authorised provincial authorities to enact policies related to disability rights, resulting in different provincial laws in Sindh, Punjab and other regions. What mechanisms were in place to ensure that provincial authorities were implementing these laws in full compliance with the Convention? What were the reasons for clear differences between these laws, such as different quotas for the employment of persons with disabilities in different regions?
The Government needed to adopt a human rights model of assessing disability, rather than its current medical approach. What procedures did the Medical Assessment Board use to identify disabilities, and what experts were involved in the identification process? In 2006, the State party had developed an action plan for the implementation of its disability policy. Had there been attempts to review and update this policy since then?
Mr. Al-Azzeh welcomed that there were several complaints mechanisms at federal and provincial levels for persons with disabilities. Why then did the State party not intend to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention? The Constitutional Court had ruled that it was unconstitutional for authorities to use derogatory language related to persons with disabilities. However, laws related to mental health, the Civil Code and the Penal Code used such language. Were there plans to revise these unconstitutional laws? How did the Government and the judicial system react to cases in which reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities had been denied?
Mr. Al-Azzeh said that the State party had made noticeable efforts to reduce the number of crimes that were punished by the death penalty. He also welcomed the judicial decision that stated that persons with psychosocial disabilities were not to be subjected to the death penalty. Were other persons with disabilities subjected to the death penalty? How many were currently on death row? In the Penal Code, there were penalties derived from the Sharia that posed real threats to life and bodily integrity, though they had reportedly been suspended and had not been implemented for decades. Why had the State party not removed these penalties from the Code?
The latest public census had found that 3.1 per cent of the Pakistani population had a disability; this was far below the 15 per cent level generally estimated by the World Health Organization. What was the reason for this gap? It was not clear how the State party engaged persons with disabilities in international cooperation programmes. Which entities did the State party engage with in this regard? How did the State party ensure the transparency and independence of the national mechanism for monitoring, reporting and follow-up, which was a part of the Ministry of Human Rights? To what extent were persons with disabilities involved in the monitoring process? What monitoring mechanisms had been established at the provincial level for policies and laws on disability?
AMALIA GAMIO RIOS, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, asked about progress in the implementation of the Vision Pakistan 2025 plan, which aimed to eliminate discrimination against all women. Did the plan and the national policy for the development and empowerment of women and girls address women with disabilities and rural women? What progress had been made in the inclusion of women with disabilities in the labour market? What measures were in place to promote the rights of girls with disabilities?
What steps had been taken to implement the 2016 law criminalising trafficking, sexual abuse of children, and domestic violence? Did the State party have plans to prevent discrimination against women with disabilities, people with psychosocial disabilities, and people with leprosy? What measures were in place to raise awareness among public officials about the rights of persons with disabilities? Was the population sensitised to the situation of deaf people?
Infrastructure in health, education and public transport was practically inaccessible for persons with disabilities. How was the State party addressing this? What policies promoted access to information and banking for persons with disabilities? How were hospitals being made more accessible? Were there enough trained sign language interpreters? When did the State party plan to formalise sign language as an official language?
REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, said women with disabilities suffered greater levels of violence in Pakistan than other groups, as well as multiple forms of discrimination. What measures were in place to aid women with disabilities and combat discrimination, especially in the areas of education and participation in social life. Women with disabilities experienced serious difficulties in accessing services. How was the State party implementing strategies to guarantee gender equality and promoting the participation and representation of women? Many women lived in conditions of poverty, earning less than one dollar a day. What measures had the State party taken to improve the economic situation of women?
Many children with disabilities reportedly did not receive support to access inclusive education. Very high school fees were a barrier to accessing education for this group. How was the State party preventing school dropouts, encouraging the participation of children with disabilities in education, and combatting corporal punishment against these children?
There were still people, particularly in rural areas, who believed that disability was a damnation of God. What awareness raising measures had been implemented on the rights of persons with disabilities? How was the State party empowering organizations of persons with disabilities to participate fully in school programmes and awareness raising campaigns?
What steps had been taken to promote access to employment and digital services for persons with disabilities, including Government websites? What accessibility training was being conducted? How was the State party improving the accessibility of places of worship and Government buildings? Were newly built buildings in line with international accessibility standards? How was the State party working to make public transport more accessible in rural areas?
MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, said Pakistan had recently experienced several natural disasters, including floods in 2022 and 2025. Some two million persons with disabilities were reportedly affected by these disasters, which according to the State’s figures was 30 per cent of Pakistan’s entire disability population. What services had the State provided affected people with? Was training provided related to emergency situations? It was regrettable that national emergency action plans were not completely inclusive of persons with disabilities, despite some provincial plans being inclusive.
The judicial system in Pakistan recognised, to some extent, the legal capacity of persons with disabilities. One court decision had stated that persons with psychosocial disabilities were not to be deprived of inheritance based on their disability. However, the State party had not provided evidence that it was supporting persons with disabilities in the judicial system to make their own decisions and ensuring that they were exercising their legal capacity. Could it provide this evidence? What measures were in place to make all judicial entities, prisons and detention premises fully accessible for persons with disabilities?
There were initiatives supporting mobility for persons with disabilities, but they were not systematic. The State had distributed 2,000 wheelchairs and some white canes and other assistive devices over the reporting period, but this was far below the amount needed by the 7.6 million persons with disabilities in the State. How was the Government ensuring that all persons with disabilities could exercise their mobility rights? It was important that disability cards were distributed to persons with disabilities. How did the State party ensure that persons with disabilities expressed consent before the data in this card was conveyed to various entities?
How did the State party ensure that the right of persons with disabilities to marry was being exercised without discrimination? Did Pakistan consider intellectual or psychosocial disabilities as reasons for depriving persons of their right to custody of children? What training was provided to judicial staff to ensure full and independent access to legal services for persons with disabilities?
What mechanisms were in place at federal and provincial levels to ensure that public and private sectors were complying with employment quotas for persons with disabilities? Were there sanctions when entities did not comply with quotas? What measures were in place to encourage persons with disabilities to establish their own businesses? Only a small number of persons with disabilities accessed loans for such purposes. How did the State party ensure that employers provided reasonable accommodation, and support access to remedies for persons who were denied reasonable accommodation?
Did the State party provide social support to persons with disabilities based on their economic situation, or did it provide cash support as a form of charity? To obtain social protection payments, persons needed to submit a certificate saying that they were “unable to work”. Which entity decided whether persons were unable to work? What measures were in place to increase access to voting for persons with disabilities and to support them to run as candidates for elections? What measures were in place to ensure that children and adults with disabilities were not being forced to work in begging?
AMALIA GAMIO RIOS, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, asked about the number of persons with disabilities who were segregated in institutions. What measures had the State party taken to amend the 2011 mental health law, which was not in line with the Convention? How did the State party prevent non-consensual treatments? Children from rural areas were being placed in institutions in cities, uprooting their lives. What measures were in place to prevent the institutionalisation of children? Had the State party conducted a study on restrictive practices against children with disabilities in schools, hospitals and other public institutions? What was the State party doing to implement the Committee’s guidelines on deinstitutionalisation, promote independent lives, and make personal support services more accessible for persons with disabilities?
How many persons had been covered by assistive technology programmes? In rural areas, persons with leprosy were confined to their homes as they did not have access to mobility aids. How would the State increase access to such aids in rural areas? Screen readers were only offered by the State in English. How would the State make these devices accessible for Pakistanis with disabilities?
Was there a complaints mechanism that was accessible for persons with disabilities in institutions? What compensation had been provided to complainants? How many complaints of torture against the police had been filed by persons with disabilities? How were shelters for victims of violence made accessible? How did the State party prevent harassment and abuse faced by women with disabilities? Did the national commission on the legal and social status of women include women with disabilities? How many complaints of ill-treatment against authorities had been lodged by women with disabilities?
How many cases of trafficking in persons with disabilities had been recorded over the reporting period and what measures were in place to prevent this practice? How was the State party working to implement the law that prohibited forced labour and exploitation of children? Reportedly, some children with disabilities were not registered at birth. What measures had the State party taken to overcome this situation? Was it implementing nationwide birth registration databases?
The State party continued to preference special education over inclusive education. All educational initiatives presented in the report related to segregated education. There was a lack of educational texts available in Braille. Was the State party developing a general policy on inclusive education? How was it ensuring compliance with the 2005 Islamabad Declaration on inclusive education? Children with leprosy typically attended special schools, particularly in rural areas. How were they supported to attend regular schools? Was the Government developing educational videos with captioning and sign language education? How were persons with disabilities supported to access higher education?
Public health systems for persons with disabilities were often under-resourced. How was the State improving the accessibility of health centres and raising awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities among health personnel? How many women with disabilities were covered by the healthcare programme supporting women in disadvantaged areas? How many persons with disabilities were covered by the mental health care programme and by primary health care? Did the Government plan to implement a national disability insurance scheme? How was the State party making rehabilitation centres in rural areas more accessible and ensuring that persons with disabilities in rural areas could obtain disability certificates? Had the law on quality control of fishing of 1997, which banned those with leprosy from working in the industry, been amended?
REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, said many persons with disabilities had encountered difficulties in being evacuated and accessing humanitarian aid following recent floods. The early warning system and emergency border services were not fully accessible. What steps had been taken to ensure that early warnings and shelters were accessible? How were persons with disabilities protected during conflicts? Infrastructure was often rebuilt after disasters without considering accessibility standards. What steps had been taken to develop disaster management policies that were in line with the Convention and collect disaggregated data on persons with disabilities affected by disasters?
Many public schools were not accessible for persons with disabilities, forcing parents to enrol their children in expensive private schools. How was this issue addressed? What percentage of children with disabilities benefitted from inclusive education and what percentage were not enrolled in schools?
How did the State party guarantee the effective participation of persons with disabilities in cultural life and counter barriers that they faced in accessing cultural activities? How were persons with disabilities included in developing policies and programmes related to culture and sport?
One Committee Expert asked about measures in place to assess the needs of deaf-blind persons and to develop services for this group.
Another Committee Expert asked how the national action plan on business and human rights supported the rights of women and girls with disabilities. What efforts had been made to ensure that forced sterilisation had been prohibited in all provinces? What legal provisions were available to punish perpetrators of violence against persons with disabilities? How did the State party ensure that persons with disabilities were provided with the same opportunities for career advancement as their peers?
A Committee Expert asked about the obligations and rights established by the Islamabad Capital Territory law on the rights of persons with disabilities. On what grounds could persons with disabilities file complaints with the Council established by this law? Did the obligations established by the law extend to private parties as well as the State?
One Committee Expert said that in one Supreme Court ruling, the Court had barred the execution of individuals with severe psychosocial disabilities. Following this ruling, had the Government established forensic mental health facilities for persons under trial and prisoners, and conducted medical assessments to ensure that persons on death row did not have psychosocial disabilities? Could persons with disabilities challenge death penalty decisions or claim reasonable accommodation while on death row?
A Committee Expert asked about instruments that provided financial support for persons with disabilities and how the public was made aware of these instruments.
Closing Remarks
AMALIA GAMIO RIOS, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for Pakistan, said the Committee was aware of the efforts being undertaken by the State party for persons with disabilities. However, there was a need for greater focus on the challenges that persons with disabilities were facing. Many laws had not been brought in line with the Convention or were not implemented in practice. Persons with disabilities in rural areas and persons with psychosocial disabilities continued to be particularly marginalised. There was a lack of mainstreaming options in the education system. The situation of persons with disabilities on death row was also concerning, and the State party was not implementing the guidance that the Committee and other human rights bodies had given it related to this issue.
More measures were needed to protect persons with disabilities from segregation and ill-treatment in institutions, trafficking and forced begging, and to empower women and girls with disabilities. All these challenges needed to be immediately addressed, and economic restrictions could not be used as a pretext for not doing so. The Committee urged the State party to continue its efforts under the Convention and the Committee’s recommendations.
BILAL AHMAD, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, thanked the members of the Committee for their insightful remarks and constructive observations during the dialogue. The Committee had provided an excellent critique of the situation in Pakistan. The State approached the review from a learning perspective. The Permanent Mission would convey the Committee’s questions to the Government and receive answers. The State party would continue to do its best despite its resource constraints. It had come a long away and sought to do the best it could for persons with disabilities.
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CRPD26.003E