This article is dedicated to those who want a more explicit message of the vision of Team GBGM for Disabled People.

Due to the conventional academic writing style, our content is sometimes like a news report.  Understandably so because it needs to inform the audience irrespective of their values, beliefs, and how they perceive ‘ Persons with Disabilities ‘ in the global society that we live in.  Perhaps our website’s aims and vision section is ‘ management talk.’ Our aims,  rather than thoroughly detailing the methods that will use and what we want to see in our society, Gilgit Baltistan, for Persons with Disabilities as a result of our efforts. What is our vision?

Setting the targets

Keeping in mind that most people want to get information very quickly, the vision for the next five years of GBGM is

• Gilgit Baltistan’s Goodwill Movement will actively seek employment opportunities for as many of our current students as possible.

•        Provide future training for another batch of Persons with Disabilities so that they can make a livelihood for themselves.

• Continue work on Skills development Projects and advocacy for Persons With Disabilities.

• Work with the GB government on Skills development and advocacy initiatives.

• To Continue our IT, English, and LED Bulb Making skill development projects.

• Start projects such as mobile repairing and other vocational skills within the next five years.

• Provide Food, Shelter, and Medicine to Persons with Disabilities in dire need.

• Make GBGM self-sustainable so that within the next five to six years, GBGM can start its own Hunar (Skills) businesses or freelance approaches, meaning that the organization can move towards more of a self-reliant approach.

Evaluating Public Attraction

Social Media – Hits versus realities.

One of the things we realized, especially when communicating on social media, is that due to the influx of misinformation, people do not realize the immense difficulties that PWDs face in Pakistan, more specifically GB.  Rather people live inside Silos, where they only observe their own beliefs irrespective of the truth, as the premise of the book Two Paths: America Divided or United shows.  Why is this the case?  The Bystander Effect  So, should we accept this as the truth?  We live in a world where populism, AKA not caring for social issues, people aren’t doing anything  ‘ bad.’  ‘ Let them be them ‘ is the premise no matter what the condition of disabled people is worldwide.

For example, the education case is just the tip of the iceberg; many other cases need attention: but as this is a website that provides facts rather than misinformation that people have spread, the website does not get views, instead, we are stuck in this war of having a predetermined vision, which sadly often has to be redefined by on-ground activities actions and movements in fighting for equal disabled rights, what issues the org has to tackle.

Conclusion.

One does have pre-set knowledge of the circumstances of what issues the Pakistan disabled community faces, especially in Rural areas like Gilgit Baltistan. With the targets being defined, in the future, GBGM wants to see :

· Increased access to education and training for people with disabilities

• Provide affordable healthcare services to people with disabilities.

• Promote social inclusion and reduce stigma towards people with disabilities.

• Provide assistive devices to enhance the mobility and independence of people with disabilities.

• Improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by providing food and shelter as a result of their actions

A disability certificate is an official document issued by the Social Welfare Department to persons  with disabilities, certifying their condition and the level of disability they have. These certificates are crucial for persons  with disabilities (PWDS)

What is Science? How can it be used as a tool?

If one were to say what Science is, one would define it as the study of objectivity. If one wanted an extended definition, one could add to be objective is to be impartial and report on their findings. Whether one is aligned with the natural sciences or the social sciences, Auguste Comte’s principle of positivism, which is if one can see, one can testify, predict & hypothesize. However, Science has been used by the worst of the worst, like those scientists serving the Nazi Regime of the 1940s and eugenicists like Hitler.

Nevertheless, why is there a lack of awareness about how people with disablities can be helpful in society: it is because eugenicists over the years have said that disability is a sickness. Terms like differently abled and disabled, though, might not be used offensively, but it still shows that society, through Science, justifies Ableism.

The Digital Revolution should have been a Disabled Revolution, but it can still happen now in Gilgit Baltistan for PWDs.

In areas like Gilgit Baltistan, where village/country life is possible, the digital revolution should have included Persons with Disablities. Rafi (2021) reports for the IMF, ‘ Their inclusion and empowerment is essential, as it benefits not only the person with disabilities but also family members, who are more likely to leave their jobs to care for relatives in this situation. ‘ Moreover in Gilgit Baltistan, if we assume that 50% of the population are villagers then if there could be a skills development initiative succeeding in India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3jYVe1RGaU, why can not disabled people follow in this project in Gilgit Baltistan, https://gbgoodwillmovement.com.

Reinvesting in Gilgit Baltistan with an educational purpose

While individuals and businessmen have invested in the area of Gilgit Baltistan in areas of

1. Hotels
2. Lands
3. Other projects

The digital market still requires people from the region, and according to Rafi’s IMF report, Excluding people with disabilities from the workforce can lead to a loss in a country’s GDP of up to 7% https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrqlpY6nl-k&t=28s.

We want investors to reinvest in a more inclusive Gilgit Baltistan through our organization.

I want to thank Jamila Shaikh of The Glasgow Disablity Alliance for giving me the honor of writing a review on the Glasgow Disability Alliance Podcast Care About Us, which can be found on Spotify, https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/care-about-us.

About the organization.

The Glasgow Disablity Alliance, which I happen to be a member of, is the largest organization of disabled members in Europe and a leading, celebrated example of a grassroots community of identity driving improvements to disabled people’s lives in parallel with more comprehensive changes to policies, services, and society https://gda.scot/. It has many forums within the organization, including The BAME Network, which will be discussed later on, Drivers for Change, a Social Policy Reformist Group of Disabled Individuals, and many others you could browse in your own time.

Clash of Ideologies

Though the heading may be misleading, in this podcast, we heard the stories of disabled people who are predominantly white. While this is not meant to suggest a racial difference, it is intended to indicate how our South Asian mentality towards Persons with Disablities needs to be more apparent and voiced. For instance, the members of this podcast are Scottish and know how to communicate about such a situation, just like Rosie.

I have mentioned on my social media feed that the Scottish Disabled Youth expressed themself freely in numerous events held by the GDA https://www.facebook.com/ardi.baig/posts/pfbid02yW9TQFeCgivvFUk8r53UhHvexGUWrYufxiP1RK4cWkX1dXbeniSfxGdyG8Peitiql. Why is it the case that we do not hear of the Stories of South Asian in these communities forums? Is it because we are excluded from such meetings? NO! Rather the opposite.

Fighting against the status quo of mentality – ذہنیت

It is because we do not consider this to be an issue. Where one disabled person calls for the reform of a policy, one is suppressed, said Jamila Shaikh, GDA Official. Unlike in Gilgit Baltistan, which to an extent has been influenced by European culture through the likes of German writers publishing books on the subject, and other influences, there are sociopolitical factors that need to be discussed when discussing the issues of South Asian Persons with Disablities in the UK, including :

• Geographical boundaries

• Social settings

• Selected Morals, Values, and Belief systems

• Lack of reading culture.

I find the 4^th one the most critical factor in determining this due to the lack of information we receive. For example, I just recently found out about the BAME society.

Jamila Shaikh’s vision for the GDA BAME society.

I recently met Jamila at the start of 2023, and I think we both understand the challenges for BAME society. To be clear though I am a member, I volunteer at the BAME society and help Jamila in certain events. Jamila’s work spans nearly two decades, first at the Royal National Insitute of Blind People and now at the GDA. Though her work covers dealing with

1. Refugees.
2. Women, particularly in the Punjab regions (Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab)
3. Asylum seekers,

no one has supported this be it from any South Asian community.

GBGM commitment to the GDA

Though our organization is young in nature, our platform https://gbgoodwillmovement.com can be used for the promotion of the Glasgow Disablity Alliance and find commonalities with the GDA’s BAME Group in Glasgow.

If anyone wants to email Jamila, please contact her at : jamila@gdaonline.co.uk

Copyright of Image: GDA, 2023

Belated Salgirah Mubarak to all the Ismaili community members around the world! Many will celebrate the Aga Khan’s work, which Ismailies call their Hazir Imam. While GB Goodwill Movement does an interfaith community-based job within the Gilgit Baltistan region: if one were to talk of successful projects in GB, one would need to mention the Aga Khan’s Work within the area, from schools to local hospitals within GB. AKDN’s works play a significant part in the lives of the citizens of Gilgit Baltistan, specifically Hunzais. Nevertheless, as organizations, what are the lessons that can be taken from AKDN?

Embracing Diversity and Inclusiveness

One of His Highness’ quotes is, ‘ We can not make the world safe for democracy until we also make the world safe for diversity. ‘ At Goodwill, we are just advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. Period. We do not expect to have special rights: but the inalienable rights are given to each man and woman (quoted from the US Constitution, 1789). PWDs should be able to work and contribute to society regardless of gender, religion, or sexuality.

The thing is, though: there is a moral Panic

Moral Panic – Not needed

A moral panic is a situation where the media hypes a scenario, and citizens assume that the media shows the truth, and that is it. We know in the case of Pakistan, specifically on the issues, Persons with Disablities are shown to be the lowest of the lowest class, where this is no intellect and PWDs are poor. In the Gilgit Baltistan context, many individuals, including those featured here on the Stories of the Resilient https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/blog/, have achieved masters and degrees but are not employed due to a lack of awareness in society, and due to this so-called Moral Panic.

Another example would be that of Gilgit Baltistan Disabled Scholar Fazal Amin Beg, who, despite his disability, has the intellect but could not go on to further education https://fazalamin.com/biography/ due to societal pressures around PWDs in Pakistanhttps://pamirtimes.net/2019/01/02/renowned-researcher-fazal-amin-baig-launches-website-to-make-his-work-available-online/.

Calling for support for Persons with Disablities

Like AKDN, local disabled organizations need the support of people. In another quote by His Highness, he said, ‘We must explore every opportunity to have different faiths come together in addressing the problems of our respective societies.’ Societies must come together to solve issues for Persons with Disablities. No matter whether you live in Karachi, London, or Sydney, the individual has a responsibility towards all communities and societies.

Join us in supporting our mission.

If we can not compete within the circle, why bother competing? Why should one get an opportunity if one can not strive to work hard? Something like that is similar to my story.

My name is Ghulam Muhammad Baig. Currently, I live in Glasgow, Scotland, with my family. Initially, I am from Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan. I am going into my final year at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, hopefully graduating with a BA Honours Major in Politics and a Minor in History. I started my education in Pakistan and then moved with my family to Glasgow, Scotland, UK, at age seven in 2006.

Living in a Pakistani family setting with a disability is different than other cultures. Though even in Pakistan, we were living in a privileged household, with my father being an army doctor in the Pakistan armed forces: the lack of awareness within South Asian Households and especially within the military, as it deals with minor and significant injuries was quite surprising. Yes, you do have to realize that it is a part of society, but the fact that many men were injured in wars, you would expect some greater awareness within the military establishment. However, moving on, I went to Sesame school in Abbottabad, and then later on, when we moved to Rawalpindi, I attended the Umeed E Noor School in Islamabad, which the Hashoo Foundation, now a close ally of this organization (https://gbgoodwillmovement.com). Though not fully aware but by then, I had started being aware that I have got some disabilities in the form of difficulties in speaking, eating, walking, handwriting, and doing things with my hands.

Then when I came to the UK, I started to attend a special needs school called Kelbourne Primary, where I studied there for five years. Those five years were really important in improving my language and communication skills. The support I got there in the form of education, speech therapy, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy transformed some of my disabilities into abilities. After completing primary school, I went to a special needs secondary school named Ashcraig Secondary School where I spent six years. The years at Ashcraig were more challenging, mentally and physically. This school had students from different cultural backgrounds, and I had real difficulties coping with my peers. However, I learned from errors and mistakes and gained confidence by the sixth year, to the extent that I was able to speak on any issue in front of the whole school, and many of my teachers were happy with me. After acquiring the necessary qualifications set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), I was able to be enrolled in the social sciences course at the City Of Glasgow College where I graduated in 2021. I am interested in the social sciences because I want to investigate how society functions, what are the different attitudes within society, and what are the different hurdles/barriers in society

How did Goodwill Movement Begin?

During the time of the Coronavirus Pandemic, when we were all locked at home and had nothing else to do apart from watching TV and using social media, it was the time I decided that I should help and campaign for the disabled community of Gilgit Baltistan in whatever capacity I can and this is where the idea of creating the Goodwill movement came from.

When I look at the experiences of disabled persons in Pakistan and compare it to the UK, here, society treats its disabled community equally. As a disabled student studying at the City of Glasgow College, I can say that the disability issue in Gilgit Baltistan has remained a long-term neglected issue.
Initially, I did primary research on the disability issue in Gilgit Baltistan by contacting two well-renowned disabled rights activists, Irshad Kazmi and Amjad Nadeem who provided me with an insight into the disabled community of Gilgit Baltistan.
According to them, the government of Gilgit Baltistan has attempted to address this issue by involving Nadeem and Kazmi in the decision-making process, but we collectively feel that the issues faced by the disabled community cannot be solved solely by the government. I even supported Nadeem’s work and projects by creating a local volunteer team and funding them for their projects via Facebook fundraisers.

Where does Goodwill Now stand

Though the idea of fundraisers is very effective, I and a few other activists https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/about-us/ established the Goodwill Movement so that at the same time as persons with disabilities are receiving aid in terms of food, water, medicines, and shelter, PWDs can receive free training and more importantly it is the first IT centre for Adult PWDs, so that Persons with Disablities could gain the opportunities just like the opportunities that I gained in the UK.

To read more on it, please visit https://gbgoodwillmovement.com and to keep supporting our projects please visit https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/donate-us/.

Donation policies can be found here : https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/which-actors-play-a-role-in-inclusive-policymaking/

Thank You!

This is a more formal article addressing disability rights activists around the globe.

We are reporting today about the situation of Persons with Disablities in Gilgit Baltistan. Like many other mountainous regions, Gilgit Baltistan is home to the K2 and other peaks, including Rakhaposhi, Nanga Parbat, and other mountains, including the Golden Peak. Like other populations, Gilgit Baltistan has a disabled population that has been marginalized in society at a large scale.

Early Childhood Stage

As soon as a disabled person is born into a family in Pakistan, the typical actions towards them change once a ‘special person’ is identified. This person, regardless of if they face a severe disability or not, is often socially excluded from society, meaning the majority does not consider their feelings.

Childhood to Adulthood

Once a disabled person is of school age, they might attend school due to parental influence and university at a push. Still, most students do not get further opportunities in FE or the employment sector. The only schools for disabled persons, commonly known as ‘special persons or differently-abled persons,’ are found in the cities, widely referred to as district capitals.

Consequences and further implications

This then leads to Persons with Disablities suffering from

• Unequal educational opportunities
• Severe unemployment
• Severe poverty
• Poor social integration
• Multiple health issues, leading a disabled adult to be ignored by society.

Why GBGM?

As a result, many disabled activists, including myself have taken the initiative under the Gilgit Baltistan’s Goodwill Movement (GBGM), a nonprofit organization that has been working for the improvement of people with disabilities in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan for the last three years, https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/about-us/. But this nonprofit organisation faces challenges as a result of a lack of governmental support and a lack of financial support https://gbgoodwillmovement.com/the-recent-passage-of-the-budget-by-the-gilgit-baltistans-government/

Do feel free to browse and contact us for other further information, but this is a human rights issue that should be addressed and raised at the national and international levels.

We, as disabled people, identify that there is a social contagion for Persons with Disablities in Gilgit Baltistan, but what are the barriers?

Anecdotal evidence

One of the things that persons with disablities feel in all parts of the world is that someone presents anecdotal evidence that might be true to their scenario but not to anyone else’s. For instance, Ali has learning difficulties; all learning difficulties have disablities; therefore, disabled people have learning difficulties. This is not a truth. In fact, this is called a false syllogism in the school of philosophy.

In our region, mainly growing up with Hunzai Grandmothers, ‘they ‘ share stories of disabled people who might have mental health difficulties, but this is not to say they were wrong; this is to say that they might not have accessed the proper facilities or no facilities were available at that time.

Childhood memories shape your present opinions.

Because multiple millennials and older people did not socialize with the disabled populous, that’s why in Gilgit Baltistan, you see a generation of elderly persons or older adults not being able to communicate with a disabled person and vice versa, which contributes more towards a higher frequency of intellectual disablities within Gilgit Baltistan.

Please don’t assume that it is our fault.

But then, people, ‘ government officials, ‘can not be blamed because no one has tried to engage these people together within a society when you have seventy-five generations not being taught how to socialize with disabled people: the problems for PWDs arise.

Disabled rights are Human rights

Please do not judge me when I claim that despite the political upheaval, ableists are abusing the human rights of Disabled people, not knowing it is their fault. International organizations such as Amnesty International must stand up for disabled rights in Pakistan as the ableist class is just treating disabled people like how feudal lords would treat their serfs in Europe..

Together we need to eradicate this fear factor from Gilgit Baltistan society.

The economic budget which has been presented poses challenges and threats for the PWD community in Gilgit Baltistan, no doubt about that. However, as I said in my earlier article, this will keep happening until the culture does not change, which will take time. So it is not a surprise – as the apple does not fall far from the tree. I do not want to use the premise that disabled people are excluded occasionally because I think a reader will get bored with it, or some will think it is ‘ clickbait,’ which is not our purpose or intention. It is the truth.

Nevertheless, as a well-wisher of the government, I would recommend that they can introduce a mechanism under which DPOs are allowed to collect funds from different sources without having financial difficulties; I think this would be the best way to move forward for the community, of course, provided that DPOs are accountable. That is an issue for Local NGOs, as many banks are hesitant to open a national bank account. This is the policy of local international NGOs such as the Glasgow Disability Alliance (https://gda.scot/about-gda/funders/)

The second piece of advice I have for the government is to implement the 3% quota immediately. The 3% quota for Persons with Disablities is not a hefty task; the documents are there. It is up to the government to implement this as soon as possible. Being in Pakistan, I understand there might be certain illusions, such as ‘Are they like us? I wonder if they have emotions. ‘ If this is the root cause, then along with skills development, we will offer advocacy support free of cost to the government for employees and employers.

The final piece of advice that I would have for the government is that the government should invest in human capital. If the government can invest with us in pulling human resources and mobilizing communities about disability inclusion, then nothing is impossible. Of course, this is the most critical factor we need to work on. Like I say to my team until we do not join hands, we can not have an inclusive Gilgit Baltistan.

Let us all work together on this mission

The recent passage of the budget by the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly once again highlights a concerning pattern regarding the treatment of disabled individuals in the region. While the Chief Minister’s Package for disabled persons serves as a short-term measure, it is insufficient to address the long-term needs of this marginalized community.