- Member:
National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled
Persons, Government of Pakistan.
- Member:
Regional NGO Network Japan.
Mr.
Shahid Ahmed Memon who has been;
- Officer:
Executive Committee World Blind Union (WBU).
- President:
Asian Blind Union (ABU).
- Member:
Constitutional Committee World Blind Union.
- Member:
Luis Braille Committee Paris.
- Member:
Advisory Council Special Education University of Punjab.
- Member:
Task Force ESCAP (Economic & Social Commission for
Asia & Pacific) UNO.
- President:
Pakistan Association of the Blind (PAB).
Mr.
Memon who was born on 14 February 1944 in Poona city of
Maharashtra India, belonging to businessman com religious and
political family. His grandfather Hajji Abdu Rahman was a well
known businessman Chairman of the Municipal Committee i.e.
Mayor of the town and Chairman of the Local Khilafat
Committee. His father Hajji Sulaiman Poonawala was Chief
Warden of Poona during the Second World War. Mr. Memon
migrated to Pakistan in early 1951.
Qualification
- M.A
(Urdu)
- M.A
(Islamic Studies)
- M.A
(General History)
- Bachelor
of Education (B.Ed)
- Adeeb
Fazil
- Certificate
in Braille and other skills.(From Germany)
Profession
Lecturer
in a local college in Karachi.
An
imminent social worker and educationalist that has started his
carrier as a script writer of the school broadcast programme
from Radio Pakistan and article to the news papers. In 1962
after qualifying the matriculation examination as a sighted
student but a very low vision he joined the Adult Blind Centre
because he could not continue further education as a sighted
student due to his blindness.
Along
with the Braille learning and vocational training he continued
his education side by side and without in gape. In 1968 he
obtained his first masters degree as the very first blind
student of Karachi University. At the very young age during
his training he started to work for the blind and led the
student union in the institution and brought a lot of reforms
for the blind which was whole heartedly acknowledged by the
concerned and he was honoured by a very special and warm
reception at the time of his departure from the institution in
March 1966A.D.
In1969,
as mentioned above he started to write feature programme and
article for radio and news papers. Due to his organizational
work and social activities in 1972 he was elected Honorary
General Secretary of the only national organization of the
blind I.e. Pakistan Association of the Blind (PAB).He was
repeatedly elected for the same post and serve the Association
up to 1983.In the early 84 he was elected as the President of
Pakistan Association of the blind (National) for three
consecutive terms serve the blind community as the head of the
Pakistan Association of the Blind for nine years. During his
officer ship of the organization he established Sindh, NWFP
and Baluchistan provincial branches along with establishment
of district branches in interior of Sindh, Punjab and NWFP.
In
1973 he started his professional career as a school teacher
and in 1978 a lot of prejudices and obstacles he was appointed
as a lecturer.
In
1974 as a deputy leader of Pakistani delegation, he attended
the second world convention of the International Federation of
the Blind at Berlin Germany. On his way to Germany during the
same visit on the invitation of National Organization for the
Welfare of the Iranian Blind and Organization of the Turkish
Blind he visited Iran and Turkey.
In
1978 he was the Chairman of the Expert Committee for the
education of blind appointed by the Federal Ministry of
Education. In October and November 1978 he attended the Asian
executive Committees meeting of International Federation of
Blind and world council for the welfare of the blind in New
Delhi and Hong Kong where he presented papers also.
In
1979, as a Pakistani Delegate, he attended the third world
convention of International Federation of the Blind and fifth
general assembly of the world council for the welfare of blind
at Antwarp Belgium. During
the same tour, he visited Royal National Institute for the
Blind in London and discussed the important matters of supply
of equipments for the blind of Pakistan.
In
February 1981he was nominated by the Pakistan Association of
the Blind on the invitation of five aid giving agencies of
West Germany for the five weeks equipments study tour. In late
1981, at Colombo, Sri Lanka Mr. Memon presented a paper in the
meeting of the Asian Federation of the Blind. In 1983 in
Singapore he attended the seminar and presented the paper in
the joint meeting of ISB, WCWB and Swedish Federation of the
visually handicapped Persons. In 1984 at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
as the leader of Pakistani delegation, he attended the
foundering general assembly of World Blind Union and has been
elected on its first executive board. As one of the founder
member of disabled person’s federation of Pakistan he was
nominated to attend the World Congress of the Disabled Persons
International in September 1985 at NASAO, The Bahamas. In
January 1986 he attended the meeting of the Asian Blind Union
at New Delhi in 1986 he attended the executive meeting of
World Blind Union in New York. On his way to New York he had
meeting with Head of International Council for the education
of blind and leaders of the Christophal Blinden Mission in
Germany.
He
was the member of the Luis Braille Memorial Committee attended
its meeting at Paris during the same visit on his way back to
home he has discussion in London with experts
of field from Royal National Institute for the Blind.
In August 1987, he attended the 8th
International Conference for the education of visually
handicapped held in Germany he also visited New York and
London to see the LFB of Baltimore USA and Braille House
London UK
In
August 1988he represented Pakistan in Asian Conference at
Bangkok in early September 88 he attended the meeting on Luis
Braille in Paris. While in the third week of September 88 as
the head of Pakistani delegation. He attended the second general assembly and meeting of
executive committee of World Blind Union at Madrid Spain. He
also visited the Royal National College Harry fort and school
for the blind HostEr in UK and had a useful discussion with
them as far as information and future co-operation was
concern. During the same visit in 1988 in Norway he visited
some of the important institutions and organizational
components of Norvagein Association of the blind and Partially
Sighted.
In
January 1989 he was elected as Vice President of Asian Blind
Union in the same year as the member of International Blind
Sports Association he attended the general assembly of the
Association in Phormia, Italy and some of the institutions
responsible for the sports and Lei
sure activities in UK. During the same tour on the
invitation of Netherland and Organization of Blind he visited
Amsterdam to see the activities for the blind in July 1989 he
attended the meeting of the office bearers of Asian Blind
Union in Bombay India. He also visited the training complex of
blind men association of Ahmadabad India. In 1990 in his
capacity as the member of the constitutional committee of WBU
he attended the first meeting in Copenhagen.
In
March 1990 he attended the meeting of the executive committee
of WBU in Warsaw Poland. In 1991 along with the national
activities he visited the Perkin School for the Blind Boston
and had a discussion with concern authorities over there. He
also visited National Federation of the Blind USA in Baltimore
on the invitation of the head of the organization.
In
June 1991, he attended the second meeting of the
constitutional Committee of WBU in USA and also visited the
Light House School for the Blind Chicago and Mary land School
for the Blind USA. During the same visit he had meeting with
Mr. Din ken Watson President of World Blind Union London and
visited Royal Institute for the Blind Cardiff UK.
In
December 1991 he attended the World Congress on Technology at
Washington USA and presented the Paper on the situation of
technology for visually handicapped in developing world. He
also visited some of the institutions particularly dealing
computer for the blind in different parts of USA. Along with
that he has been able to visited Library of Congress and
United Nations Head Quarter along with other important places.
In
1991 he was declared spokesmen and sole representative of the
country for the Paralympics held in September 1992at Barcelona
Spain. As chief D-mission he headed the Pakistani delegation
to participate in 9th Paralympics held in Barcelona
Spain and visited the Mosque Cordova.
In
November 1992 in his capacity as the member of the World Blind
Union and as the head of the six member Pakistani delegation
he participated in the general assembly o of WBU in Cairo
Egypt. In the meeting of the constitutional and executive
committee of WBU he took part in the election. In the same
gathering he was elected unanimously as President of Asian
Blind Union for next four years and Officer of the World Blind
Union for next four years.
In
April 1993, he attended officer meeting of WBU in Hong Kong
and visited Singapore and Thailand on invitation of the
international Organization of respective countries. In
September 1993 he presented address of welcome on behalf of
persons with disabilities in the SAARC Nations conference on
disability held in Karachi. In October 1993 at Nairobi Kenya
he attended the meeting of the executive of WBU. In December
1993 he was nominated as one of the member of Pakistani
delegation of the SAARC Ministerial Conference held in
Islamabad. In early January 1994 he presided over the Asian
Conference on work for blind and meeting of the Asian Blind
Union held in Karachi.
In
late January 94 he attended the executive meeting of WBU in
Melbourne Australia during the same visit he was invited by
the Singapore Association of the Blind as a special guest to
address inaugural gathering of a national seminar on
techniques for the blind In April 94 he attended the meeting
of ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission of Asia and Pacific)
UNO at Bangkok in his capacity as the member of task force of
ESCAP with special reference to the decade of disabled
persons.
He
also visited Bangladesh and had several meetings with higher
governmental authorities, experts of the field and officers of
the National Federation of the Blind Bangladesh. In July 1994,
he attended the regional conference of the disabled persons in
Manila organized by the Regional Network of Japan.
During
same tour on a special invitation Mr. Memon visited Malaysia
and Sri Lanka and has attended different meetings and
gathering where he had useful discussion with special
reference to be mutual understanding.
In
early September 94 he attended the meeting of European Blind
Union (EBU) along with meeting of European Commission of the
Blind for Aid to the developing countries in Oslo Norway as
specially invited guest. In late September 94 he attended the
officers meeting of WBU in Amman Jordan. In December 1994 Mr.
Memon in his capacity as the member of the executive of
regional network for the disabled persons attended its meeting
and international conference on rehabilitation or Japan along
with meeting JICA Authorities in Tokyo and Nagoya.
He
also visited number of institutions for the disabled and talk
with concern authorities in Beijing China. After visiting Hong
Kong where he negotiated equipments for the blindon his way
back to home in December 94 he had a very useful discussion
with the ESCAP Authority at zonel head quarter of UNO in
Bangkok.
In
early 1995, Mr Memon was awarded “pride
of performance” for his outstanding services at
national and international levels.
In
March 1995 he attended the work shop on rehabilitation for the
handicapped and meeting of the experts organized by the
International Labour Organization respectively at Lahore and
Islamabad. In April 1995 he attended the officer meeting in
Karakas Venezuela. He also visited USA and Canada to gain the
maximum possible knowledge and to acquire Braille computer
printer and other related devices for the Pakistani blind
successfully. He was also interviewed by the representative of
Voice of America in Washington.
During
his first term as the President of Asian Blind Union he got
established Afghanistan Association of the Blind, Nepal
Association of the Blind and Mania mar i.e. Burma Association
of the Blind and had several meetings with leaders and
authorities at Kathmandu and Rangoon.
He
was the member of National Council of Social Welfare and
member of the National Council for the Rehabilitation of
Disabled Persons (Government of Pakistan).
During
his officer ship he has work on a number of national,
provincial and local committee and attended numbers of
seminars, conventions, conferences, workshops and meetings and
presented papers. He was the Chairman of managing committee of
Braille Press run by the national Book Foundation under
federal Ministry of Education. As the member of the national
Braille committee he was assigned to compile Urdu Braille
guide which dully acknowledged.
He
has been editor of only Urdu Braille magazine
Deda-e-Dill” printed in Braille. Beside his
organizational and professional activities he has been engaged
in research work of “Urdu as a medium of instructions.
Including
other awards and certificates. He was awarded “first
Abdullah Ibn-e-um-e-Maktoom” gold meddle awarded by the
Pakistan Association of the Blind during 1987.During 1988 Mr.
Memon was declared as the “scholar
of the year” by the Pakistan Memon Jamat and awarded
gold meddle.
In
July 1996 he was again elected unanimously as the President of
Asian Blind Union during the general assembly in kaula Lumpur
Malaysia.
In
August 1996 Mr. Memon attended the world assembly of WBU in
Toronto Canada and presented paper on UNO agencies role for
the disabled persons with special reference to the developing
countries.
Along
with routine responsibilities as the national and
international levels Mr. Memon attended the annual campaign
and international rehabilitation world congress to observe the
decade of disabled persons along with regional network (RNN)
board meeting and general assembly held in Auckland New
Zealand in late 1996.
In
March 1997 on behalf of ABU Mr. Memon hosted the WBU officers
meeting in Sri lanka in June 1997 Mr. Memon presided over the
board meeting of ABU and Asian Conference work for the blind
at Nepal and attended the annual campaign to observe to the
decade of disabled persons in Seoul Korea. He visited number
of institutions including the Korean Federation of the Blind
and negotiated co-operation with the President and the leader
of the organization. In October 97 Mr. Memon visited the
UNESCO head quarter in Paris to discuss the related issues
with the in-charge concern. He also attended the executive and
officers meeting in Casablanca Morocco of WBU.
In
December 1997 Mr. Memon visited Indonesia and Bangladesh in
connection with the organizational arrangements and future
planning.
In
February 1998 Mr. Memon retired voluntarily from the post of
officer of WBU and President of ABU, due to the extra ordinary
domestic assignments, engagement and organizational
differences. However in July 1998 he founded the Pakistan
Disabled Foundation and was elected founder chairman of it.
In
1998-1999 in his capacity as the Chairman of Pakistan Disabled
Foundation and the Member of the National Council for the
Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (NCRDP) Govt of Pakistan he
has been extremely busy with the affairs of disabled persons
with GO’s and NGO’s.
He
conducted specialised courses on techniques for visually
handicapped he attended several meetings and programmes for
the training and rehabilitation of disabled persons.
In
July 2000 Mr. Memon attended the convention of the blind at
Atlanta USA and had a very useful meeting with the authorities
of various institutions and organizations and different parts
of USA including National Library of Congress Washington.
Mr.
Memon was given “millennium
award of 2000” by the Ministry of Women Development,
Social Welfare and Special Education Govt of Pakistan.
Along
with the continuation of
the regular activities
with GO’s and NGO’s in December 2000 he attended the
annual campaign to observe Asian Pacific decade of
the disabled persons held in zonel head quarter of UNO
Bangkok where he
attended the general assembly
RNN also.
A
part from his country wide many fold activities under the
Pakistan Disabled Foundation in 2003. Mr. Memon visited
Bangladesh upon the invitation of National Organizations of
Bangladesh of the blind and disabled persons. During his
visited, he had several meetings and visited different
institutions and organizations of and for the blind and
disabled persons which was followed by a donation of
equipments and The Holy Quran in Braille as a gesture of
co-operation from Pakistan to Bangladesh.
In
December 2004, from the invitation of Madrasa-tun-Noor of
South Africa, Mr. Memon attended the graduation ceremony and
addressed the gathering which was followed by different
meetings in different parts of the country. As a result of
which three young blind from Pakistan were selected for three
years study course in South Africa.
In
his capacity as the Chairman of advisory of Disabled Persons
International Pakistan (DPIP) C.B.SHOD i.e. Capacity Building
Self Help Organization of Disabled Persons conducted several
meetings finalise the selection of the participants as the
Chairman of sub committee for selection. He presented address
of welcome on behalf of “people with disabilities” of
Pakistan to the Chief Guest i.e. Prim Minister of Pakistan and
other honoured guests in the international event of twenty six
countries held in Islamabad in September 2005. The same year
Mr. Memon was awarded shield as volunteer of the year on the
occasion of UN International Day for Volunteers by local
committee.
In
July 2006, Mr. Memon headed the delegation of Pakistan
Disabled Foundation to attend the 12th general
assembly of “ICEVI” International Council for the
Education of Visually Impaired held in Malaysia where together
with his delegation Mr. Memon had several meetings with the
senior leaders in the field of blindness and had fruitful
discussions and bilateral understanding.
Upon
the invitation of South Asia UNISCO Mr. Memon attended the
regional conference in November 2006 at New Delhi India. In
early December 2006, Mr. Memon attended two international
conferences in
Amsterdam and Tanakh Netherlands on invitation of Dutch
Collation on Disability Development. During the above said
conference Mr. Memon discussed the possibilities of bilateral
cooperation with the participating agencies from Asia, Europe
and Africa .
In that
Way
by the grace of
Almighty Allah his march towards the achievements of prime
goals of sociao economic and otherwise status for the disabled
community of country, region and world of course is
continuously going on.
During
his world wide travelling carrier he met a lot of top most
dignitaries of the world including General Zia-ul-Haq, Moulana
Abul Ola Moudidi, Prince Agha Khan, General Suharto President
of Indonesia, General Ramos President of Philippine, Mrs.
Bandra Naeike Prime Minister and Madam Kumara Tonga President
of Sri Lanka, Murar G Dasaei Prime Minister of India, Share
Bahadur Duwa Prime Minister of Nepal, Princess Ashraf of Iran
and others,
World
famous places visited by Mr. Memon;
Along
with the Harman-e-Sharifain and associated ziyaratt , Mr.
Memon also visited Sultan-e-Aulia Mosque and shrine of Hazrat
Abu Ayoub Ansari in Istanbul, Golta Bridge of Istanbul, Ata
Turk Tomb in Ankara, Jamea Alazher, Pyramids of Egypt and
River Nile in Cairo Egypt, Hassan Mosque in Casablanca that is
third largest then Harmain Shareefain, Vatican City, Saint
Peters Church UNO’s head quarter New York(repeatedly), CIEs
Tower of Chicago (The tallest building of the world), World
Trade Centre, Empire State, Statue of Liberty in New York and
Library of Congress and Abraham
Lincoln Monument in Washington beside White House, USA’s
Flag Ceremonial in Baltimore, Boston University USA,
Michigan Lake of Chicago USA,
Bahadur Shah Zafar shrine in Rangoon, Cordova Mosque of
Spain, Haroon-ur-Rasheed Mosque of Paris,
Luis Braille Museum and Eiffel Tower in Paris,
King Faisal Mosque of London and Washington, British
Library of London, Madam Tasao Museum in London, Royal
National College of Harry fort UK,
Height Park and Regent Park in London,
UK Islamic Mission, Islamic Circle of North
America(ICNA), NewYark, Islamic Centre of Copenhagen and
Tevoli of Copenhagen in Denmark, Islamic Centre of Oslo
Norway, Warsaw’s Famous Fort of second world war, Candy
historical place (English capital of Sri Lanka), Elephant
Orphanage in Sri Lanka, World
Olympic of Barcelona, Wall
of Berlin, Goethe birth place in Germany, Afeer Iqbal in
Heidelberg and Technical University of Berlin
Germany, Borom
famous fort of second world war in Germany near France
boarder, River Rayne, Colon Famous Cathedral of Germany, 17
Museum including Open Air
in Antwerp Belgium,
Imam Razz’s Religious Educational Complex in Mashhad,
Library of Firdausi (an imminent poet) and Nadir Shah’s
Shrine in Mashhad Jama Mosque Delhi, Red Fort of Delhi, Qutob
Meenar, Ashoka Lat, Taj Mahel, BindraBun and Mathura(holy
places of Hindus), Saleem Chushtees In, Nahro Kamla Park and
Hanging Garden of Bombay, Dada Bhai Noroji birth place in
Nosari Gujarat India, Gandhi’s Memorial in Seurat India,
Santosha, Night Safari, and Singapore River in Singapore, Twin
Tower of Malaysia, Niagara fall of Toronto Canada, Monkey
Temple of Nepal and
most of the important places in the world.
BRIEF SKETCH OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
By Shahid Ahmed Memon
Chairman: Pakistan Disabled Foundation
Ex-President: Asian Blind Union
Ex-President: Pakistan Association of the Blind
Ex-Officer: World Blind Union
Member: National Council for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled Persons (Government of Pakistan)
Apart from his contribution to the Special Education through organizational activities at National and International Level in his various capacity arranging and supporting Seminars, Workshops, Training Courses and Study Tours, Voluntarily, he fully devoted his professional carrier as School and University College Teacher of Special Education as a Government Employee. He worked foe more than 32 years as a Head Examiner, Paper Setter and Subject Specialist. On the nomination of National Braille Committee he compiled Urdu Braille Guide which was largely printed by following two revisions. He has been the First Editor of Urdu Braille Magazine, very first literary magazine of its kind.
Because of his nation wide continuous contribution to the Special Education Mr. Memon was appointed as the Chairman of the Experts Committee for the Education of Visually Handicapped Persons by the Federal Ministry of Education to conduct survey and submission of pilot project which was comfortably carried-out and implemented by the Federal Government. He also worked for several years as a member of Louie Braille Memorial Committee. Because of his heavy educational achievement and carrier, in 1985 Pakistan Memon League declared him as the First Scholar of the Year and awarded Gold Medal. In his capacity as the General Secretary & President of Pakistan Association of the Blind, he established several educational units and arranged number of courses and seminars on different skills of the Blind. In his capacity as the President of Asian Blind Union he supported the several educational programs in member countries including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Manyamar and so on. He also attended National and International conferences and presented papers on Special Education. In his capacity as the Chairman of Pakistan Disabled Foundation and Chairman of then DPIP Advisory Committee he patronized several programs of Special Education for cross disability. He also organized First National Conference on Special Education as the Chairman of PDF in July 2006. He also served National Book Foundation Braille Press as the Chairman of the advisory committee for several years. Apart from the permanent organizational responsibility he is additionally engaged in advocacy towards the promotion of Special Education and Employment of the young Disabled Persons and Educational and Training requirements by arranging supply of equipment and expertise. He is constantly diligent to have a Equipment Bank for the disabled persons in the country. By recognizing his voluntary services for the country and Region through the NABP support, the NABP has acknowledged his services by awarding Certificate of Recognition towards the promotion of educational facilities. Mr. Memon is still alert and active to protect the educational rights and recognition of the disabled themselves by monitoring and keeping eye on relative activities at National and International level which is an outstanding contribution and achievement from the point of view of self help movement to whom he is continuously representing since last 35 Years.
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