Hi friends,
I'm sharing the following article from one of the leading English
newspapers of Pakistan, Dawn. I got it and felt like sending it to youSo here
it comes!
Vision impaired, but courage intact
by Mansoor Malik, dawn.com
From the Newspaper
October 15, 2010 ()
The merciful Mother Nature equalises human endowments: if it takes away
one faculty, it strengthens the other. "It has deprived us of our
eyesight, but gifted us with tremendous vision â?" power of imagination.
Name any object and we get an instant image in our mind," says Salman,
one of the four vision-impaired brothers studying at the Government
College University.
The four brothers â?" Salman Siddiqui, Moaz Siddiqui and twins Zaid
Siddiqui and Khizar Siddiqui â?" are victims of a genetic disorder that
runs in their family due to cousin marriages. Still, they personify hope
for all. They believe that no disability can stand in one`s way if one
has the will to achieve something.
The Siddiqui brothers could be the role models for many who are
suffering from impaired vision.
As the International White Cane Day falls on Friday (today), the white
cane symbolises safety, mobility, resistance and independence of every
visually challenged individual. The day is celebrated world over in the
memory of the victims of the World War-II in which incalculable number
of people and soldiers lost their eyesight as a direct consequence of
toxic fumes released by nuclear weapons.
Though special emphasis and immense importance on educating physically
disabled individuals of the society is given world over, a very few
initiatives have been taken in Pakistan over the last many years to
transform the physically challenged people into quality human resource.
However, there have always been examples that became the guiding spirit
for others and Siddiqui brothers are such examples to be followed
blindly.
Despite all hardships in their lives, they remained steadfast and
persistent in the pursuance of their goals. With their hard work and
sheer determination, all four brothers are Hafiz-i-Quran and now
studying at the GCU, Lahore. Zaid and Khizar are in FA, part-I, whereas
Moaz and Salman are enrolled in BA (Honours) Political Science and BA
(Honours) English, respectively. Salman wants to become a journalist,
while Moaz and the twins â?" Zaid and Khizar â?" want to join their alma
mater as teachers because they believe that teaching is the noblest of
all professions.
Speaking about their childhood and early education, the Siddiqui
brothers told Dawn that they faced immense difficulties but their
parents and family members kept their spirits high. Saying that
mathematics remained a dry and boring subject for them, they narrated
their mischievous activities in their childhood that they still cherish.
Moaz said their parents inculcated the instinct of self-belief and
independence in them. He said they were brought up in a way that they
would take care of themselves and each other when needed.
Zaid said he topped the matriculation examination in 2009 among the
disabled and was awarded a cash prize of Rs300,000 by the chief
minister. However, he said he was not happy with the examination system
of the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. He said
separate examination should be conducted for the visually impaired
candidates. He said it used to be very difficult for them to arrange
writers. However, they were not allowed to take papers on computers or
in Braille.
They said the main reason they all joined the GCU was its Centre for
Special Students that was helping the disabled compete with their
university fellows. They said their course books, magazines and journals
and even internet browsing was available in the centre. At the centre,
they said, they could get copies of any material in Braille.
They commended the efforts of CSS in-charge Salman Khalid. According to
them, the centre is a perfect place for an undergraduate to research for
his projects. "We not only get our question papers in Braille but also
have the translators, who can sit with us in examination hall or use the
option of sitting in the centre and attempting the papers," they say.
They just say the number of computers should be increased in the centre.
- Mansoor Malik
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