KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah opened a new rehabilitation centre for children with physical and neurodevelopmental disabilities, describing it as a helpful resource for families in the province.
The Centre for Rehabilitation of Children with Physical and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities is a joint project between the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC) and the Sindh government’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD).
During the opening, the chief minister said the centre shows the government’s commitment to supporting children with challenges like autism and Down syndrome. “Our goal is to give these children the care, therapies, and opportunities they need to live well,” he said.
The facility provides various services through a team of professionals. These include physiotherapy to help with movement, speech therapy to improve communication, remedial therapy for learning and thinking skills, behavioural therapy to support daily functioning, occupational therapy for everyday tasks and sensory needs, a sensory room for relaxation and exploration, paediatrician services for medical check-ups, a special play area with adapted equipment, and audiometry for hearing tests.
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CM Shah visited the centre, met with children, and noted that 50 children were admitted on the first day. He also shared plans to open similar centres in other districts of Sindh. “We have centres in Karachi, Gambat, Larkana, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Nawabshah, with more planned,” he said.
The chief minister announced that the Sindh government has set aside 100 acres of land near the Malir Expressway in Karachi to build an “Inclusive City” for people with disabilities.
This city will include schools, rehabilitation centres, vocational training, a hospital, a neuropsychiatry ward, and residential areas. It will also have a 20-acre park for children with special needs and a building for welfare organisations.
The CM praised Dr Ruth Pfau, the founder of MALC, for her work against leprosy, noting that her legacy continues through this centre and MALC’s efforts. He also answered media questions, stating that the provincial budget will be presented on June 13, with a focus on agriculture.
He mentioned the need for provincial involvement in managing K-Electric and other power companies to protect consumers and fulfill constitutional duties. The Sindh government is also interested in managing Hyderabad Electric Supply Company and Sukkur Electric Power Company through a public-private partnership and is discussing this with the federal government.
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The event was attended by DEPD Secretary Taha Ahmed Farooqi, Special Assistant Rajveer Singh Sodha Tunio, German Consul General Dr Rudiger Lotz, GLRA Germany Global Health Advisor Dr Anil Fastino, MALC CEO Mervyn Francis, and board members Anwarul Haq Haidri, Azeem Hussain Siddiqui, and Abid Hussain.
In other provincial government news, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the government will connect Orange and Green Line bus services to the SITE industrial area to help workers. During a visit to the SITE Association of Industry, he met with senior members and industrialists.
According to a press release, the minister promised to arrange a meeting between SITE members and the chief minister to discuss industry issues. He said the government values the business community and noted that Sindh’s public-private partnership model has been praised at the federal level.
He also announced that heavy traffic will be allowed on the Lyari Expressway from 10pm to 7am. Additionally, he said the second phase of the Malir Expressway (Shahrah-i-Bhutto) up to Quaidabad will open in two weeks and updated members on bus rapid transit projects. He mentioned that vehicles registered in Lasbela must now be registered in Karachi, and fitness certification is being outsourced.
