The National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) has launched a dedicated helpline for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to cater to all their needs and provide them assistance in critical situations.
A significant feature of this helpline is its priority call handling system, which ensures that calls from Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are given utmost importance and addressed promptly and efficiently. This critical feature acknowledges the unique challenges faced by PWDs in their daily lives and the need for immediate assistance in urgent situations.
Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik while launching the helpline said that every citizen has the right to access essential services and PWDs require special attention and support from state institutions. They should not be seen as different, their unique abilities and contributions add vibrancy to our society, he added.
He said that this initiative is a reflection of NADRA's commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible society. He further said that this step, in a series of affirmative actions, will enable a more equitable and just society for all.
The newly launched dedicated helpline includes an appointment facility through NADRA’s Computerized Call Management System (NCCMS), allowing PWDs to schedule appointments for ID cards and document processing.
The helpline will also provide an Interactive Voice Recording (IVR) message in both Urdu and English languages. This feature will help to ensure that the service is accessible to a wider range of individuals, regardless of their language preferences or abilities. The IVR system will guide callers through a series of options, allowing them to select the service they require by simplifying the entire process and making it more user-friendly.
NADRA has also taken various initiatives for PWDs including free-of-cost issuance of CNIC for the first time and with a lifetime expiry. NADRA issues CNICs to PWDs in the executive category, printing a disability logo on cards and Child Registration Certificates (CRCs). Till now, NADRA has issued free-of-cost CNICs to more than 555,000 PWDs, including 395,000 physically challenged, 37,000 hearing impaired, 24,000 visually impaired and more than 100,000 mentally challenged persons.
The PWDs are also given preferential treatment and dedicated counters have been established for them at NADRA centres across Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2023.
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