[VIDEO] The amazing Saima Saleem: Pakistan's first visually impaired diplomat

[MenInG]

Pakistan's first visually-impaired UN delegate Saima Saleem is being praised for her fiery speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday in which she stated that it is India that endorses terrorism in the occupied territory of Kashmir in a response to an Indian diplomat's allegations against Pakistan.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This was the first time a speech was read by by Counselor Ms. Saima Saleem in braille at the GA debate. <br>Pride of Pakistan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kashmir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ForeignOfficePk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovtofPakistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/NkqfWWgLWA">pic.twitter.com/NkqfWWgLWA</a></p>— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakistanUN_NY/status/1441826701898625024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The first differently-abled female Pakistani diplomat, Saima Saleem was born on August 10, 1984. In her early years, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa - an incurable eye disease that made Saleem blind at the age of 13.

According to sources, when Saleem applied for CSS, she requested the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to conduct a computer-based exam for her. However, the FPSC refused to conduct a computer exam because they were always conducted on paper. Saleem pursued her case by quoting the ordinance passed in 2005. The press release issued in this regard said the government will facilitate candidates with visual impairment and they will be allowed to take exams on the computer.

She became the first blind Civil Servant of Pakistan.

Today, Saleem is a motivational speaker and a writer. She has expertise in international human rights and international humanitarian law, public and economic diplomacy.

Saleem is a strong advocate of global peace and interfaith harmony.

Exercising her Right to Reply at UNGA:

Wearing the colours of Pakistan's flag and reading from braille, Saleem's fervent speech came as a response to Indian delegate Sneha Dubey's extrapolations about Pakistan's involvement in terrorism in the occupied Himalayan territory.

India's Dubey said Pakistan plays the 'victim' of terrorism and spoke at length about Pakistan's link to terrorism by claiming it provided a safe haven to the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and maintains the status quo by state-sponsored suppression of the minorities in Pakistan.

To which, Saleem said, "India remains in occupation of an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final disposition needs to be decided in accordance with the democratic principle of a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, as provided for under numerous resolutions of the Security Council."

Saleem expanded on her response by shedding light on four different types of terrorism India was responsible for. She spoke at length about 'state terrorism' to suppress Kashmiris in the occupied valley; she spoke about India funding terrorist organisations such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and highlighted the Doval doctrine and India's covert operations against Pakistan. She mentioned the capture of Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav and how India had financed mercenary terrorist organisations against Pakistan and concluded her response by bringing to attention India's supremacist ideology of promoting Islamophobia.

She also asked the UN to hold India accountable for its crimes against humanity.

 

[Zeshan547]

Pakistan's first visually-impaired UN delegate Saima Saleem is being praised for her fiery speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday in which she stated that it is India that endorses terrorism in the occupied territory of Kashmir in a response to an Indian diplomat's allegations against Pakistan.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This was the first time a speech was read by by Counselor Ms. Saima Saleem in braille at the GA debate. <br>Pride of Pakistan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kashmir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ForeignOfficePk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovtofPakistan</a> <a href="https://t.co/NkqfWWgLWA">pic.twitter.com/NkqfWWgLWA</a></p>— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakistanUN_NY/status/1441826701898625024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The first differently-abled female Pakistani diplomat, Saima Saleem was born on August 10, 1984. In her early years, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa - an incurable eye disease that made Saleem blind at the age of 13.

According to sources, when Saleem applied for CSS, she requested the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to conduct a computer-based exam for her. However, the FPSC refused to conduct a computer exam because they were always conducted on paper. Saleem pursued her case by quoting the ordinance passed in 2005. The press release issued in this regard said the government will facilitate candidates with visual impairment and they will be allowed to take exams on the computer.

She became the first blind Civil Servant of Pakistan.

Today, Saleem is a motivational speaker and a writer. She has expertise in international human rights and international humanitarian law, public and economic diplomacy.

Saleem is a strong advocate of global peace and interfaith harmony.

Exercising her Right to Reply at UNGA:

Wearing the colours of Pakistan's flag and reading from braille, Saleem's fervent speech came as a response to Indian delegate Sneha Dubey's extrapolations about Pakistan's involvement in terrorism in the occupied Himalayan territory.

India's Dubey said Pakistan plays the 'victim' of terrorism and spoke at length about Pakistan's link to terrorism by claiming it provided a safe haven to the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and maintains the status quo by state-sponsored suppression of the minorities in Pakistan.

To which, Saleem said, "India remains in occupation of an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final disposition needs to be decided in accordance with the democratic principle of a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, as provided for under numerous resolutions of the Security Council."

Saleem expanded on her response by shedding light on four different types of terrorism India was responsible for. She spoke at length about 'state terrorism' to suppress Kashmiris in the occupied valley; she spoke about India funding terrorist organisations such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and highlighted the Doval doctrine and India's covert operations against Pakistan. She mentioned the capture of Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav and how India had financed mercenary terrorist organisations against Pakistan and concluded her response by bringing to attention India's supremacist ideology of promoting Islamophobia.

She also asked the UN to hold India accountable for its crimes against humanity.

Maybe writer should have spent two second on the fact that her actual name is Saima not her sir name Saleem. Left poor taste in mouth and on topic more power to her, A true role model and motivation for youth.

 

[iRfaN_LA]

An inspiration. Superb response by Saima to the lies of Sneha.

 

[PakLFC]

She defo gave India a proper slap so much that Sneha ran away to daddy! The UN sys Kashmir is a dispute. That is all that matters.

 

[cric_man]

Maybe writer should have spent two second on the fact that her actual name is Saima not her sir name Saleem. Left poor taste in mouth and on topic more power to her, A true role model and motivation for youth.

That is how you would write in English. First time a person is introduced with full name, then subsequently only last name is mentioned. The write could have added Ms. Saleem. But otherwise it is properly written.

 

[MenInG]

The fact that she is a Pakistani woman who is reading off Braille are all great achievements and whilst Indians may not have liked what she said, its still something all people should be proud of.

 

[Napa]

The fact that she is a Pakistani woman who is reading off Braille are all great achievements and whilst Indians may not have liked what she said, its still something all people should be proud of.

Whatever she may say about India is nothing personal, she is just doing her job.

As an Indian, I admire her for overcoming her disability and succeeding.

 

[Local.Dada]

Whatever she may say about India is nothing personal, she is just doing her job.

As an Indian, I admire her for overcoming her disability and succeeding.

Agreed. Wanted to post something similar. Well said.

 

[MenInG]

In September last year, Pakistan's first visually impaired UN delegate Saima Saleem was praised by the whole nation after she made a speech in the exercise of the right of reply at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) while reading from Braille.

On the occasion of World Braille Day, which is celebrated worldwide on Jan 4 annually, Saima made an announcement that her first book is all set to be published this year, and if she will get a chance, she will definitely try to publish it also in Braille.

Saima is the first blind civil servant of Pakistan. She came sixth in the 2007 competitive examination and was the first among female candidates taking the test to be recruited in government departments. She became the first blind diplomat of Pakistan for whom rules for recruitment were amended by the government for joining the foreign service.

"Braille is a tangible form of written language which is used as a medium of communication by the people who cannot see. In my life as a person, student and now a career diplomat, Braille has played the most significant role," Saleem told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

Saleem holds a master's degree in international law with a specialisation in international humanitarian law and human rights from Geneva Academy, the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

"Working for human rights is my passion, and my book is also written on the topic of gross and systematic human rights violations happening in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It is in the last phase of editing and I will try my best to get that published in Braille as well," she said.

'Barriers should be removed for social integration of people with disabilities'

Saima believes that people with disabilities can become useful and productive for society if attitudinal and access barriers can be removed for them.

"These barriers can only be removed by creating awareness-raising in which the media can play an instrumental role. Every library should also create a Braille corner like the National Library has done, and try to make the e-books and audio ones available as well."

According to the 2006 national blindness and visual impairment survey in Pakistan, the estimated number of blind individuals of all ages in 2003 was 1.25 million and it projected the figure might have risen to 2.4 million by 2020.

Asad Aslam, a renowned ophthalmologist and former chief executive of Mayo Hospital in Lahore, one of the largest hospitals in Asia, said they carried out the third survey on the issue in Pakistan, which will be released in February to show the exact number of blind people in the country."

Pakistan is a party to the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international human rights treaty of the UN, since 2011 and it is making efforts to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities despite resource constraints.

"Sometimes it takes only one person to stand up for many. I was the first one who demanded the examination board in 1999 to conduct my exam by using Braille and even in 2003, Punjab University on my request had conducted first exams by using Braille, and today, exams in Braille are conducted for blind students all over the country," said Saleem.

Last month, Punjab Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa also got their Braille printing press. The project cost Rs40.3 million ($224 million) and thousands of children will be facilitated thanks to it.

On the social responsibility of society, Saleem said: "Learning Braille is important for the person who cannot read and write, but it is equally important for the people in their surroundings to learn these modes of communication so that others can interact with them and persons with disabilities can be given equal opportunity and an inclusive society can be created."

https://tribune.com.pk/story/233712...-diplomat-set-to-publish-book-on-iiojk-abuses

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan’s first visually-impaired diplomat said she had to face immense problems in life for being visually challenged

NEW YORK: A person can achieve objectives by believing in Allah and in his own abilities and work hard. Youths should step forward and ensure Pakistan’s bright future.

These views were expressed by Saima Saleem, Pakistan’s first visually-impaired diplomat, who is an integral member of the Foreign Service. In an interview to The News on Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day, she said she had to face immense problems in life for being visually challenged. “However, my parents encouraged me to tackle issues which helped me win many gold medals in the education field. I passed the CSS and joined the Foreign Service,” she added.

She said Pakistan’s first 75 years were its formative years. “Now the new generation should bring Pakistan forward by adopting new trends of the century. They should make Pakistan a country, where no inability or physical challenge hinders the progress of a person,” she added.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/98...impaired-diplomat-urges-youth-to-step-forward

 

[BouncerGuy]

More power to you for exposing India.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1926549643011162384