A defining moment for inclusive development Pakistan at the Global Disability Summit 2025 | Political Economy

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He marked an important moment to advocate for the Rights of World Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025. It served as a comprehensive overview of the progress made in recent decades and a platform for stakeholders that are moving forward to the really involved societies for people with disabilities.

An important result was that the Oman Berlin Declaration was to be adopted to include global disability, which was confirmed by more than 80 governments and organizations. The Declaration sets a solid target: to ensure that at least 15 % of the country is focusing on incorporating disabilities in development projects, and according to the fact that disabilities are 15 % of the global population – about 1. 1.3 billion.

The time for this declaration is very important. It emerges between aid for joining and other development programs. By establishing a “15 percent” principle, the purpose of this declaration is to stop the permanent gap in development planning, while emphasizing the need for meaningful engagement of disabled people and their representative organizations).

The summit also acknowledged an familiar challenge, that when the global meeting permanently offers promises and promises, the real test lies on how governments implement them.

Against this background, Pakistan’s participation in a global disability meeting showed the country’s deep national commitment to maintain equity, dignity and participation. The Minister of State for National Health, led by the Pakistan delegation, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Bharat, brought both material and vision to the operation.

In a keynote meeting on Health Equity, Dr Bharath said that Pakistan’s engagement in GDS should be beyond sharing experience and participate in the global movement in justice and recognizes that joining it is a fundamental right, not a charity.

Pakistan has already supported concrete steps supporting this philosophical stance. The country has linked the rehabilitation services to the next National Health and Population Policy (2025-2034) and has implemented a job quota for people with disabilities. Pakistan has also supported the Olympics special measures and extended special education and rehabilitation institutions. On the ongoing cooperation with global partners like WHO and UNICEF, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, indicate the country’s commitment to the construction of a comprehensive system at the grassroots level.

One of Pakistan’s most important achievements in the development of disability is to remove the gap of data. The specific questions related to the disability of the community -based comprehensive development network were included in the 2023 national population census and the 2020’s social and residential standard measurement survey by advocating for tourism and its allies.

This milestone represents more than statistical progress. It provides the basis for the evidence necessary for informed policy -making and comprehensive planning. The successful integration of disability data in these national surveys has established a strong view for other data collection processes, including the collection of the Labor Force Survey, the Annual School Census and the SDG Indicator. Although these actions and tools require further dissent and capacity, they indicate a fundamental change towards incorporating evidence -based disabilities.

The summit reinforces an important principle that Pakistan as well as other nations have to be adopted: inclusion of disability cannot be considered a standstone problem. Instead, it should be embedded in all areas of development – from health and education to employment and governance. This requires change at the policy level, where disability should be included in the mainstream with the help of every national development agenda, strategy and dedicated resources, budget lines and monitoring procedures.

The main focus of this approach is to recognize the leadership role of people with disabilities and the participation of disabled people in all planning and decision -making processes. They are not just stakeholders. They are the rights of those whose living experiences and voices must be shaped on how solutions are prepared. Strong cooperation with OPDS is essential to ensure that inclusion is meaningful and durable.

The policy framework has gone beyond the practical facts of joining the summit debates. Dedicated side events-such as Comprehensive Futures Consortium Event that shared six principles to achieve comprehensive development-highlighting the importance of infrastructure that incorporates access and disability, which includes not only physical infrastructure but also information technology and affordable, accessible auxiliary technology.

The OPD emphasized during these debates that while the intentions of the policy are important, the inclusion of it will eventually be measured as to what people with disabilities experience in their daily life. This means that people can access public transportation, go to school, visit health facilities or get jobs without interruptions. The summit acknowledged that genuine participation needs to be overcome by public awareness and comprehensive communication, both systematic obstacles and social attitudes.

Since the delegates left Berlin, the message was clear: This gathering has to represent a turn instead of just another international meeting. For Pakistan, this means that the commitment to translate the summit promises into concrete measures should be promoted.

The implementation of the “15 percent” principle in the national development plan offers a framework to strengthen its commitment to Pakistan and to ensure targeted effects. However, it represents the beginning of a long journey. The real step in success will be how Pakistan fulfills its promises, maintains accountability and sharing its progress with the international community.

Pakistan has placed itself in position to emerge as a regional leader in the inclusion of disability, supporting strong leadership, prepared policies and growing collective desire. The challenge now lies in maintaining pace, strengthening the system and keeping a constant focus on the results that improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Author is the Director Pakistan and the Middle East, the sisters