Chicago: Haji Abid Lashari, President of the National Disability & Development Forum (NDF) Pakistan, attended a luncheon event hosted by Mr. Tariq Kareem, Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago. The event was graced by Mr. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, as the Chief Guest.
During the event, members of the Pakistani-American community presented their contributions, while Mr. Abid Lashari highlighted the work of NDF Pakistan in the rehabilitation of children with intellectual disabilities. He shared that with the support of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), Government of Sindh, and philanthropists, NDF is operating five rehabilitation centers in Sindh – located in Nawabshah, Larkana, Hyderabad, and Karachi (Gulistan-e-Johar and Gulshan-e-Hadeed).
Currently, over 500 children are receiving free and uninterrupted services including physiotherapy, speech therapy, psychotherapy, and occupational therapy. Mr. Lashari emphasized that these therapies help children integrate into daily life and play a meaningful role in society.
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh lauded Mr. Lashari’s efforts and acknowledged his services, which have already been recognized by the Government of Pakistan through the Civil Award “Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.”
Consul General Tariq Kareem also appreciated the significant work being done by NDF Pakistan, particularly in addressing autism and intellectual disabilities in underserved areas of Sindh. Members of the Pakistani-American community present at the luncheon praised NDF’s mission and expressed their encouragement to support the cause.
