<p>Alkhidmat Foundation volunteers took part in rescue and relief activities following the blast at the Police Lines Mosque in Kohat. Alkhidmat volunteers transported injured people to nearby hospitals through ambulances and provided support at the blast site and hospitals.</p>

<p>President Alkhidmat Foundation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khalid Waqas visited Kohat District Hospital and the blast site, where he met injured people, offered prayers for their recovery and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.</p>

<p>Khalid Waqas also offered Fateha for Alkhidmat volunteer and Alkhidmat Blood Donation Society in-charge Luqman Khan, who was among those martyred along with his two children, and other victims of the blast. He announced that the children of the martyred would be supported through Aghosh Alkhidmat Home Kohat and the Orphan Family Support Program.</p>

<p>Alkhidmat volunteers also cleaned the mosque after the incident and removed scattered items from inside the premises.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900569386ab219ea006e4.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900569536ab219f9ac58b.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900569696ab21a0976683.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900569816ab21a15a1f99.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900569946ab21a2278a47.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570056ab21a2d27a8c.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570206ab21a3cb5126.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570336ab21a490f428.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570446ab21a54d1213.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570816ab21a7965bf8.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900570986ab21a8a7d3ff.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900571116ab21a97a4b2f.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900572066ab21af6cb31b.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17900572236ab21b07a5084.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 300px;" /><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

Alkhidmat Foundation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Disaster Management

Alkhidmat Responds to Kohat Police Lines Masjid Blast

<div style="margin:0;padding:clamp(1rem,4vw,3.5rem);background:radial-gradient(1200px 620px at 50% -12%, #e7f1fb 0%, #f2f8fe 42%, #ffffff 100%);min-height:100vh;box-sizing:border-box;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;color:#26333f;line-height:1.5;">
<article style="max-width:768px;width:100%;margin:0 auto;background:#ffffff;border-radius:clamp(14px,2.2vw,22px);overflow:hidden;box-shadow:0 18px 50px -18px rgba(0,60,120,.30),0 3px 10px rgba(0,60,120,.06);border:1px solid #e6eef6;box-sizing:border-box;overflow-wrap:break-word;">
<div style="height:5px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#f5a524 0%,#ffce63 100%);">&nbsp;</div>

<header style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0061af 0%,#024a86 55%,#013a68 100%);color:#ffffff;padding:clamp(2.1rem,5.5vw,4rem) clamp(1.5rem,5.5vw,4rem) clamp(2.3rem,6vw,4.2rem);box-sizing:border-box;"><svg aria-hidden="true" style="position:absolute;right:-48px;bottom:-60px;width:clamp(180px,34vw,300px);height:clamp(180px,34vw,300px);opacity:.14;pointer-events:none;" viewbox="0 0 200 200"> <g fill="none" stroke="#ffffff" stroke-width="2"> <circle cx="100" cy="100" r="30"></circle><circle cx="100" cy="100" r="55"></circle><circle cx="100" cy="100" r="80"></circle><circle cx="100" cy="100" r="98"></circle> </g> </svg>

<div style="position:relative;z-index:1;"><span style="display:inline-block;font-size:clamp(.72rem,.68rem + .1vw,.8rem);font-weight:600;letter-spacing:.02em;color:#0a3a63;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#ffce63,#f5a524);padding:.42em .95em;border-radius:999px;box-shadow:0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,.18);">Disability &amp; the economy</span>

<h1 style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.95rem,1.35rem + 3.1vw,3.2rem);line-height:1.12;letter-spacing:-.01em;margin:clamp(1rem,2.5vw,1.5rem) 0 0;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Disability as an Economic Trap: The Hidden Toll on Pakistani Families</h1>

<div style="display:flex;align-items:center;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.65rem;margin-top:clamp(1.1rem,2.6vw,1.6rem);font-size:clamp(.88rem,.85rem + .1vw,.98rem);color:#cfe3f6;"><span style="font-weight:600;color:#ffffff;">Mariam Nadeem</span></div>
</div>
</header>

<div style="padding:clamp(1.7rem,5.5vw,3.5rem) clamp(1.5rem,5.5vw,3.6rem) clamp(2rem,5vw,3.6rem);box-sizing:border-box;">
<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.4rem,3vw,1.9rem);font-size:clamp(1.18rem,1.05rem + .7vw,1.45rem);line-height:1.6;color:#1c2b3a;">Imagine a family earning just enough to survive, only to have half their income vanish overnight due to costs the rest of society never sees. In low-income communities across Pakistan, disability is not merely a medical condition it is an economic trap that can lock families in extreme hardship. Poverty and disability often operate in a continuous loop, acting as both cause and consequence for vulnerable households.</p>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Defining disability itself is a complex challenge, as criteria vary globally, leading to differences in how it is measured and understood. An individual may be identified as a person with a disability when disease, injury, or an inherited condition creates difficulties in performing daily activities or participating fully in society.</p>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">In Pakistan, the hardship is magnified by limited data, social stigma, and gaps in implementation. Although laws and policies have been introduced to protect Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), many still struggle to access education, employment, healthcare, transport, and public spaces. Employment quotas exist, but a quota on paper does not automatically create real opportunity. Inaccessible workplaces, transport problems, and weak implementation can still prevent many PWDs from finding suitable work.</p>

<h2 style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.35rem,1.12rem + 1.1vw,1.85rem);line-height:1.22;letter-spacing:-.005em;color:#0061af;margin:clamp(2rem,4.5vw,2.9rem) 0 .55rem;">Where the barriers begin</h2>

<div style="width:52px;height:3px;background:#f5a524;border-radius:2px;margin:0 0 clamp(1rem,2.4vw,1.4rem);">&nbsp;</div>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">The marginalization begins early, particularly in education. While basic education is a fundamental right, children with disabilities face far greater barriers to attending school. Even when they enrol, early dropouts and a lack of suitable learning facilities remain serious concerns.</p>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">For young girls in Pakistan, securing an education is already an uphill battle; for disabled girls, the barriers multiply. Families may invest less in their education or health because of deep seated stigma and traditional beliefs about their future. Young women with disabilities can also face added challenges around safety, mobility, menstrual health, and reproductive health.</p>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">For those who do reach higher education, institutional environments present enormous hurdles. Inaccessible classrooms without comfortable desks, unadapted examination rooms, missing accessible washrooms, and broken public transport turn ordinary days into daily struggles.</p>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">These barriers can eventually lead to severe financial dependency.</p>

<figure style="margin:clamp(1.6rem,4vw,2.4rem) 0;padding:clamp(1.4rem,4vw,2rem);background:linear-gradient(180deg,#f3f8fd,#ffffff);border:1px solid #dfeaf4;border-left:4px solid #0061af;border-radius:14px;box-sizing:border-box;">
<div style="display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:clamp(1rem,4vw,2.5rem);">
<div style="flex:1 1 190px;min-width:168px;">
<div style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(2.6rem,2rem + 3vw,3.9rem);line-height:1;color:#0061af;">62%</div>

<div style="width:44px;height:3px;background:#f5a524;border-radius:2px;margin:.6rem 0 .7rem;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="font-size:clamp(.95rem,.9rem + .2vw,1.05rem);line-height:1.5;color:#3a4855;">of men with disabilities in Pakistan were financially dependent on family and relatives.</div>
</div>

<div style="flex:1 1 190px;min-width:168px;">
<div style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(2.6rem,2rem + 3vw,3.9rem);line-height:1;color:#0061af;">87%</div>

<div style="width:44px;height:3px;background:#f5a524;border-radius:2px;margin:.6rem 0 .7rem;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="font-size:clamp(.95rem,.9rem + .2vw,1.05rem);line-height:1.5;color:#3a4855;">of women with disabilities in Pakistan were financially dependent on family and relatives.</div>
</div>
</div>

<figcaption style="margin-top:clamp(1rem,2.5vw,1.3rem);padding-top:.85rem;border-top:1px dashed #d9e5f0;font-size:clamp(.78rem,.75rem + .1vw,.86rem);line-height:1.5;color:#6a7683;">Source: &ldquo;Challenges in Accessing Health Care for People with Disability in the South Asian Context: A Review,&rdquo; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.</figcaption>
</figure>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">When a person with a disability belongs to a low income family, where resources are already scarce, this economic pressure can be especially difficult for the entire household.</p>

<h2 style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.35rem,1.12rem + 1.1vw,1.85rem);line-height:1.22;letter-spacing:-.005em;color:#0061af;margin:clamp(2rem,4.5vw,2.9rem) 0 .55rem;">The hidden costs</h2>

<div style="width:52px;height:3px;background:#f5a524;border-radius:2px;margin:0 0 clamp(1rem,2.4vw,1.4rem);">&nbsp;</div>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.05rem,.9rem + .5vw,1.35rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">The costs of disability are often hidden, and they tend to fall into three areas:</p>

<div style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.4rem,3vw,1.9rem);display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:clamp(.95rem,2.2vw,1.2rem);">
<div style="border-left:3px solid #f5a524;padding:.1rem 0 .1rem clamp(.9rem,3vw,1.2rem);box-sizing:border-box;">
<div style="font-weight:700;color:#0061af;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .25vw,1.15rem);margin-bottom:.28rem;">Direct expenses</div>

<div style="font-size:clamp(1rem,.96rem + .3vw,1.12rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Essential medical supplies, wheelchairs, hearing aids, specialized prescriptions, and other assistive devices can be expensive. Families may also face high transport costs because public transport is inaccessible, and may need to adapt their homes&nbsp;for example, by installing ramps.</div>
</div>

<div style="border-left:3px solid #f5a524;padding:.1rem 0 .1rem clamp(.9rem,3vw,1.2rem);box-sizing:border-box;">
<div style="font-weight:700;color:#0061af;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .25vw,1.15rem);margin-bottom:.28rem;">Indirect and opportunity costs</div>

<div style="font-size:clamp(1rem,.96rem + .3vw,1.12rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Family members&nbsp;most often mothers, sisters, or other close relatives &mdash; may cut their working hours or leave employment to provide care. This can lower household income while adding to its responsibilities.</div>
</div>

<div style="border-left:3px solid #f5a524;padding:.1rem 0 .1rem clamp(.9rem,3vw,1.2rem);box-sizing:border-box;">
<div style="font-weight:700;color:#0061af;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .25vw,1.15rem);margin-bottom:.28rem;">Workplace barriers</div>

<div style="font-size:clamp(1rem,.96rem + .3vw,1.12rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Unemployment and a shortage of suitable jobs can follow from inaccessible workplaces, broken transport networks, missing equipment, and discrimination.</div>
</div>
</div>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Owing to this enforced dependency, some PWDs may begin to feel like a burden on their families, which can erode their confidence, dignity, and sense of independence.</p>

<blockquote style="margin:clamp(1.9rem,4.5vw,2.9rem) 0;padding:clamp(1.2rem,3.5vw,1.8rem) clamp(1.3rem,4vw,2rem);border-left:4px solid #f5a524;background:linear-gradient(180deg,#fffaf0,#ffffff);border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;box-sizing:border-box;">
<p style="margin:0;font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;font-size:clamp(1.3rem,1.1rem + 1.1vw,1.85rem);line-height:1.42;color:#173a5c;">&ldquo;People with disabilities suffer not only from their physical impairments, but also from the negative attitudes and barriers created by society.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Standard poverty measures that ignore these hidden expenses paint an incomplete picture, leaving families to choose between buying vital medicine and buying food. True financial hardship becomes far greater once the additional costs of disability are counted.</p>

<h2 style="font-family:'Iowan Old Style','Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:700;font-size:clamp(1.35rem,1.12rem + 1.1vw,1.85rem);line-height:1.22;letter-spacing:-.005em;color:#0061af;margin:clamp(2rem,4.5vw,2.9rem) 0 .55rem;">A way forward</h2>

<div style="width:52px;height:3px;background:#f5a524;border-radius:2px;margin:0 0 clamp(1rem,2.4vw,1.4rem);">&nbsp;</div>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.05rem,.9rem + .5vw,1.35rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Solving this hidden crisis takes more than isolated efforts.</p>

<div style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.4rem,3vw,1.9rem);display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:clamp(.9rem,2.2vw,1.15rem);">
<div style="display:flex;gap:.9rem;align-items:flex-start;">
<p style="margin:0;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .3vw,1.15rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Poverty measures should account for the additional costs faced by families living with disability.</p>
</div>

<div style="display:flex;gap:.9rem;align-items:flex-start;">
<p style="margin:0;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .3vw,1.15rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Government job quotas must move beyond paper mandates into real implementation backed by accessible infrastructure in schools, offices, and public transport.</p>
</div>

<div style="display:flex;gap:.9rem;align-items:flex-start;">
<p style="margin:0;font-size:clamp(1.02rem,.98rem + .3vw,1.15rem);line-height:1.7;color:#33414d;">Communities need regular awareness and the chance to change negative attitudes.</p>
</div>
</div>

<p style="margin:0 0 clamp(1.15rem,.9rem + .7vw,1.5rem);font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Persons with disabilities should not be seen as people who only need charity. They should have opportunities to learn, work, earn, and take part in society. And for those who cannot manage a traditional nine-to-five role because of mobility barriers, the digital age opens new doors through freelancing, remote work, and online skills training.</p>

<p style="margin:0;font-size:clamp(1.05rem,1rem + .35vw,1.19rem);line-height:1.8;color:#26333f;">Organizations such as the Alkhidmat Foundation, together with community networks, can play an important role in providing support, skills, education, and opportunity. But until we treat people with disabilities as equals with genuine opportunities rather than as burdens our progress as a society will remain incomplete.</p>
</div>
</article>
</div>

The Hidden Cost of Disability

Pakistan Extends a Helping Hand to Flood Hit Nepal

Why Diseases Spike After Floods

<p>Alkhidmat Foundation opened a new hospital in Thana, Malakand, adding a new health care facility for residents of the district and surrounding areas.</p>

<p>Professor Dr. Hafeez ur Rehman, President Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan, inaugurated the hospital, which was established at a cost of millions of rupees and equipped with modern medical facilities.</p>

<p>The hospital was established to provide patients with access to quality and affordable medical care closer to their communities, reducing the need to travel to larger cities for treatment. The facility will serve patients from Thana and neighboring areas.</p>

<p>The opening marked another addition to Alkhidmat Foundation&rsquo;s network of health facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17882449206a9673b892da0.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 253px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17882449336a9673c50a0e6.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 253px;" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17882449436a9673cf62eb5.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 253px;" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://alkhidmat.org/backend/images/region/blog/ckeditor-images/17882449546a9673da4fce8.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 253px;" /></p>