KUMAK Programme: A Step Towards Empowering Persons with Disabilities in Balochistan
By Rakhshanda Saba
The Government of Balochistan has continued its efforts to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities (PwDs) through practical welfare and empowerment initiatives, with the distribution of tricycles under the provincial government’s “KUMAK Programme” emerging as an important step towards mobility, independence and social inclusion.
The initiative is being implemented by the Social Welfare Department, Government of Balochistan, under the vision and special directives of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti and the guidance of Parliamentary Secretary for Social Welfare Haji Wali Muhammad Noorzaee. The programme reflects a growing recognition that the welfare of persons with disabilities cannot be limited to financial assistance alone; rather, it requires practical interventions that enable them to participate independently and meaningfully in society.
Mobility is one of the most significant challenges faced by many persons with disabilities. Limited access to appropriate means of transportation can restrict their ability to attend educational institutions, seek employment, access healthcare, interact with their communities and participate in economic activities. In this context, the distribution of tricycles under the KUMAK Programme is more than the provision of a mobility aid. It is an investment in independence, dignity and opportunity.
Speaking to the media, Director General Social Welfare Balochistan Mir Saifullah Khetran said the provincial government was committed to providing practical support and equal opportunities to persons with disabilities and enabling them to become active and productive members of society.
He described the distribution of tricycles as an important initiative aimed at reducing mobility-related difficulties faced by persons with disabilities and helping them lead more independent, dignified and active lives.
The significance of such an initiative becomes even greater in a province as geographically vast and socially diverse as Balochistan. For many people living with disabilities, particularly those in areas where public transport and other accessibility facilities remain limited, mobility can determine whether they are able to pursue opportunities beyond their homes. Providing an appropriate means of transportation can therefore create a direct link between welfare and empowerment.
The government’s approach also places emphasis on transparency and accountability. According to Mir Saifullah Khetran, the distribution process is being closely monitored to ensure that the facility reaches deserving and eligible persons with disabilities in a transparent manner. Such oversight is essential for ensuring that public welfare programmes achieve their intended purpose and that assistance is directed towards those who need it most.
The KUMAK Programme also highlights a broader shift in the understanding of disability. Persons with disabilities should not be viewed merely as recipients of assistance. They are an important part of society, possessing skills, abilities and aspirations that can contribute to the social and economic development of the province when appropriate opportunities and support are made available.
For this reason, mobility initiatives need to be viewed as part of a wider framework of inclusion. Improved mobility can facilitate access to education and vocational training, healthcare, employment and entrepreneurship. It can also strengthen social participation and reduce the dependence that often results from inaccessible transportation and public spaces.
The Social Welfare Department has indicated that its efforts will continue in areas including accessibility, mobility, education, rehabilitation and improved economic and social opportunities for persons with disabilities. This broader approach is important because empowerment cannot be achieved through a single intervention. It requires sustained policies that address the different dimensions of disability and ensure that people are able to exercise their rights and participate fully in community life.
Mir Saifullah Khetran said the Social Welfare Department was working to translate the vision of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti and the guidance of Parliamentary Secretary Haji Wali Muhammad Noorzaee into practical initiatives. The objective, he said, was to make the welfare and empowerment process for persons with disabilities more effective across Balochistan.
The KUMAK Programme therefore carries a message that extends beyond the distribution of tricycles. It represents an effort to build a society in which disability does not become a barrier to dignity, independence or opportunity.
A truly inclusive Balochistan will be one where persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to move, learn, work, contribute and participate in public life. Initiatives such as KUMAK can help transform this principle into reality by addressing practical barriers and providing people with the means to become more independent.
The success of the programme will ultimately be measured not only by the number of tricycles distributed, but by the opportunities they create for their beneficiaries. If a mobility aid enables a person to reach a workplace, continue education, access healthcare, support a family or participate more actively in the community, its impact extends far beyond the physical object itself.
The KUMAK Programme is thus an important step towards empowering persons with disabilities and strengthening the foundations of an inclusive Balochistan—one where every citizen is valued, respected and given a fair opportunity to contribute to society and live a life of dignity and independence.