Pakistan's blind citizens face banking exclusion despite accessibility policies
By
Dr Muhammad Shabbir
Fresh out the oven, still warm. Top of the tray.
Summary
Pakistan's blind citizens face severe accessibility barriers in banking, exemplified by Salman Khalid, a blind lecturer in Lahore who must travel to the only ATM in a city of 13 million that he can operate independently. Despite government policies supporting accessibility and financial inclusion, blind individuals are often forced to rely on strangers for basic banking transactions, compromising their privacy and dignity. The article highlights the gap between policy promises and the lived reality of disabled citizens in Pakistan.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledA bank account is supposed to indicate financial freedom. For Pakistan's blind citizens, it often means the opposite.
He makes not out of confidence, but out of necessity: to Mall Road, where the only ATM in the area that he can operate without a stranger's help happens to be located. Just one. In a city of over thirteen million people.
When he finds it, he completes his transaction alone – without needing to expose his PIN to anyone.
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