Caritas Karachi provides wheelchairs to disabled people
by Shafique Khokhar

The distribution was made possible thanks to the support of the Saving Lives Welfare Organization. Now 11 people with different handicaps will at least be able to leave their homes. For the father of one of the lucky beneficiaries, only Caritas takes care of them.


Karachi (AsiaNews) – Working in cooperation with the Saving Lives Welfare Organization, Caritas Pakistan handed out wheelchairs to a group of disabled people in the Archdiocese of Karachi. The ceremony was held a few days ago at the St Catharine youth hostel.

Caritas Pakistan Karachi executive secretary Mansha Noor explained that the objective was “to support vulnerable people so that they can manage their own lives.” He thanked Sarfraz Dennis Nazeer, founder and president of Saving Lives Welfare Organization for their generous support.

“Every person with a disability has the right to be respected,” Nazeer said. “They have the right to lead a life of dignity and equal opportunities and have access to the educational, economic and social spheres without any discrimination".

At the event, Nazeer and other guests handed over wheelchairs to 11 people with different handicaps. A tearful Muhammad Ali, father of Hussain who suffers from a disability, thanked both organisations.

“We are poor, so we haven't been able to buy a wheelchair for our son,” Mr Ali explained, “But now he can get out of the house and do small jobs. We all pray for Caritas because it is working very hard to support people who do not receive support from anywhere else.”

The United Nations estimates that more than 650 million people in the world live with one form of disability or another, mostly in vulnerable countries, with greater risk of their numbers increasing due to wars, terrorist attacks or natural disasters.