Legal Aid Taskforce

For persons with disabilities in Sindh, justice is often out of reach, not because the law does not protect them, but because the system itself remains inaccessible. Pakistan ranks 130th out of 142 countries in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. For persons with disabilities, this gap is even wider. Consider the reality:

• Physical barriers are everywhere. Courts often have no ramps, wheelchairs, or elevators. A wheelchair user may have to depend on strangers to be carried up the stairs simply to enter a courtroom.
• Communication barriers are pervasive. Sign language interpreters are often unavailable for deaf persons, and documents are rarely available in Braille for persons with visual disabilities.
• Procedural barriers cause endless delays. Persons with disabilities often struggle to participate effectively in legal proceedings, resulting in timely justice being denied.
• The 5% job quota for persons with disabilities in government departments is routinely ignored. In one recent recruitment of 6,023 teachers in Khairpur, only 115 persons with disabilities were appointed, just 2%, far below the legally mandated 5%.

Even when designated courts for persons with disabilities were notified in every district of Sindh in 2019, the justice sector continues to fail them. The law exists on paper, but implementation remains a distant dream.

Task Force Mission

To ensure that every person with a disability in Sindh has effective access to justice, not as a charity, but as a fundamental right. Employment of persons with disabilities is not an act of pity. As the High Court of Sindh has affirmed, it is “a fundamental right” grounded in constitutional values of equality and social justice. Our mission is to transform this principle into lived reality.

We work to bridge the gap between the law and the lived experience of persons with disabilities, ensuring they know their rights, can claim them, and are treated with dignity by the justice system.

Our Tasks

Free Legal Aid and Representation

We provide pro bono legal services across all 31 districts of Sindh. Our lawyers take up cases involving human rights violations, discrimination, denial of the employment quota, gender-based violence, forced marriage, and inheritance disputes. We ensure that no person with a disability is denied justice simply because they cannot afford a lawyer.

Legal Awareness and Legal Capacity

We conduct community awareness campaigns to educate persons with disabilities and their families about their legal rights under the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018. We train community paralegals who can provide basic legal guidance at the grassroots level.

Support for Civil Documentation

Many persons with disabilities lack basic identity and civil documents such as CNICs, disability certificates, or birth registrations. Without these documents, they may be unable to access government benefits, vote, or even pursue a legal case. We provide practical support to help them obtain these essential documents.

Advocacy for Accessible Courts

We work with the judiciary and government to make courts physically and procedurally accessible. We advocate for ramps, sign language interpreters, Braille documents, and assistive technologies in courtrooms across Sindh.

Grievance Redressal

We assist persons with disabilities in filing complaints when their rights are violated, whether through denial of the 5% job quota, discrimination in education, or abuse and violence. We follow up with grievance redressal committees to ensure that complaints are investigated and resolved.

Digital Legal Support

We connect persons with disabilities to digital tools that make legal information more accessible. Through platforms such as NAZ Assist, Pakistan's first multilingual legal advisory chatbot, persons with disabilities, including those who are deaf or non-speaking, can receive preliminary legal advice in English, Urdu, Sindhi, and Pashto. Users can also connect with a lawyer through the Sindh Legal Advisory Call Center Helpline (0800-70806) at no cost.

The Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018

This is a landmark law, described as the first sincere and meaningful effort in Pakistan to give effect to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It provides a comprehensive legal framework to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities and ensure their full inclusion in society.

Key provisions include:

• 5% job quota in all government departments
• Right to inclusive education in all educational institutions
• Protection from discrimination in employment, promotion, and career development
• Right to legal aid at public expense
• Protection from abuse and violence, with violence against a person with a disability deemed more grievous under the law

The Constitution of Pakistan

Article 25 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the law. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Articles 9 and 13 guarantee accessibility and effective access to justice. The Sindh Act is aligned with the CRPD, establishing a comprehensive rights-based framework for inclusion and protection.