SWAT: The Anti-Terrorism Court, Swat, on Monday acquitted a number of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers from Shangla district in terrorism cases registered against them following the May 9, 2023 mayhem.

Former provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai, former National Assembly candidate Haji Syed Farin, tehsil chairman Waqar Ahmad Khan and PTI Shangla vice-president Gul Hamroz were among those acquitted.

They were indicted in May 9, 2023 riots in Alpuri, the district headquarters of Shangla.

A PTI legal team pleaded the case for the activists.

PROTEST: The differently-abled persons demonstrated here on Monday demanded increasing their quota in jobs to 10 per cent.

They gathered in front of the Swat Press Club, where president of Swat Disabled Forum Ghulam Ahad, chairman Syed Zulfiqar Ali and others addressed them.

The protesters held banners and placards in favour of their demands.

They highlighted that though legislation regarding the rights of persons with disabilities had been enacted in both the provincial and national assemblies, the laws had not been implemented effectively.

“Despite the KP Persons with Disabilities (Rights, Rehabilitation & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) Act, 2017 being passed from the provincial assembly, we are still denied our rights,” they said, adding the non-implementation of the legislation had caused significant hardships for differently-abled persons.

They deplored that their repeated calls for rights had gone unheard.

“A monthly stipend should be allocated for those who are unable to work, and business opportunities should be provided to those who are able to work,” the protesters demanded.

They also demanded that educated individuals with disabilities be given jobs according to their qualifications.

“The job quota for persons with disabilities should be increased to 10%, and those who are not yet included in the Benazir Income Support Programme should be enrolled,” they demanded, adding that their economic marginalisation must end.

Furthermore, they said the local office of Pakistan Baitul Mal had allocated Rs30,000 annually for each person with a disability, but they had not yet received the amount. They demanded of the social welfare department to take notice of the matter.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2024