THE DISABLED PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT AND REHABILITATION) ORDINANCE, 1981 (XL of 1981) CONTENTS 1. Short title, extent and commencement 2. Definitions 3. National Council 4. Functions of the National Council 5. Provincial Councils 6. Functions of the Provincial Councils 7. Meetings of the Councils 8. Duties of Secretary 9. Appointment of Committee 10. Establishments to employ disabled persons 11. Establishment to pay to the Fund 12. Registration of disabled persons 13. Establishment of training centers 14. Establishments to furnish information 15. Power to debar further employment 16. Appeal 17. Fund 18. Power to exempt 19. Delegation of power 20. Penalty 21. Cognizance of offence s, etc 22. Power to make rules TEXT 1 THE DISABLED PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT AND REHABILITATION) ORDINANCE, 1981 (XL of 1981) [29th December, 1981] An Ordinance to provide for the employment, rehabilitation and welfare of disabled persons. WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the employment, rehabilitation and welfare of disabled persons and for matters connected therewith. AND WHEREAS the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to make immediate action; NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Proclamation of the fifth day of July, 1977, read with the Provisional Constitution Order, 1981 (C.M.L.A. Order No. 1 of 1981), and in exercise of all powers enabling h im in that behalf, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:– 1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Ordinance may be called the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1981. (2) It extends to 2 [whole] of 3 [the Punjab]. (3) It shall come into force on such day as the 4 [Government] may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint. 2. Definitions .– In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,– 5 [(a) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Provincial Council;] (b) "commercial establishment" and "industrial establishment" shall have the same meaning as in the West Pakistan Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance, 1968 (W.P. Ordinance No . VI of 1968) 6 [;] (c) "disabled person" means a person who, on account of injury, disease or congenital deformity, is handicapped for undertaking any gainful 1This Ordinance was made by the President on 24 th December, 1981; and, was published in the Gazette of Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated 29th December, 1981, Pages 543-549. 2Substituted for the words “the whole” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.3; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 3Substituted for the word “Pakistan” by the Disabled Person s (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.3; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 4Substituted for the word s “Federal Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Re habilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 5Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e. f. 11.2.2012, s.4; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 6Misprinted in the Gazette as “full-stop”. profession or employment in order to earn his livelihood, and includes a person who is blind, dea f, physically handicapped or mentally retarded; (d) "disease" includes the physical or mental condition arising from the imperfect development of any organ; (e) "employee" means a regular or whole -time employee whether employed on daily, weekly or monthly basis, and includes an apprentice; (f) "establishment" means a Government establishment, a commercial establishment or an industrial establishment, in which the number of workers employed at any time during a year is not less than one hundred; (g) "Fund" m eans the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Fund established under section 17; 7 [(gg) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;] 8 [(h) “Government Establishment” includes any autonomous or semi - autonomous body, university, college, professional school a nd any other organization, controlled or managed by the Government;] 9 [(i) * * * * * * * * * * * ] (j) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the 10 [Government] or, as the case may be, the 11 [Government]; (k) "Provincial Council" means a Pr ovincial Council established under section 5; and 12 [(l) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Provincial Council 13 [.] ] 14 [3. National Council.–* * * * * * * * * * ] 15 [4. Functions of the National Council.–* * * * * * * ] 7Inserted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.4; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 8Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.4; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 9Omitted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.4; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 10Substituted for the word “Federal Gov ernment” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 11Substituted for the word “Provincial Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 12Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.4; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 13Misprinted in the gazette as “semi-colon”. 14Omitted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (X III of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.5; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 15Omitted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.5; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 16 [5. Provincial Co uncil.– The Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, establish a Council to be called the Provincial Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons consisting of the following members:– (a) Secretary to the Government, Social Welfare , Women Development and Bait ul Maal Department, who shall also be its Chairman; (b) Secretary to the Government, Labour Department; (c) three members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, including at least one woman member, to be nominated by the Government; (d) one representative of the Home Department of the Government not below the rank of Deputy Secretary; (e) one representative of the Planning and Development Department of the Government not below the rank of Deputy Secretary; (f) one repres entative of the Health Department of the Government not below the rank of Deputy Secretary; (g) one representative of the Education Department of the Government not below the rank of Deputy Secretary; (h) one representative of the Inform ation, Culture a nd Youth Affairs Department of the Government not below the rank of Deputy Secretary; (i) one representative of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry; (j) Administrator of the Punjab Zakat and Ushr Council; (k) one representative of the Punjab Social Services Board; (l) one representative of the registered trade unions to be nominated by the Labour Department of the Government; (m) four persons 17 [including at least two women] to be nominated by the Government from amongst the persons engaged in t he welfare work of disabled persons; and (n) Director (Programme) of the Government, Social Welfare Department, who shall also be the Secretary of the Provincial Council.] 18 [6. Functions of the Provincial Council .– Subject to any direction given by the Government, the Provincial Council shall– (a) execute the policy made by the Government for the employment, rehabilitation and welfare of disabled persons; (b) undertake appropriate projects for purposes of welfare of disabled persons; 16Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.6; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 17Inserted by the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014) , w.e.f. 12.3.2014, s.2 and the Schedule; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 2733-2744. 18Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.7; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. (c) issue directions to an employment exchange or any other body for the implementation of the projects of the Provincial Council; (d) take stock of the extent of functional disabilities of disabled persons; (e) evaluate, assess and coordinate the execution of its policies; (f) have overall responsibility for the achievement of the purposes of this Ordinance; (g) conduct survey of the disabled persons who are desirous of being rehabilitated; (h) conduct medical examination and provide treatment to the disabled persons; (i) provide training to the disabled persons; and (j) take such other measures as are necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance.] 19 [7. Meetings of the Provincial Council .– (1) The meetings of the Provincial Council shall be held at such ti me and at such places as the Chairman may direct and shall be presided over by the Chairman. (2) The meetings of the Provincial Council shall be conducted in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed, and until such procedure is prescribed, in such manner as the Chairman may direct. (3) The powers and functions of the Chairman shall, in his absence, be exercised and performed by such member of the Provincial Council as the Chairman may appoint. (4) Six members of the Provincial Council shall co nstitute quorum for a meeting of the Council. (5) All orders and decisions of the Provincial Council shall be authenticated by the signature of the Chairman or a member of the Provincial Council authorized by the Chairman.] 8. Duties of Secretary.– The Secretary shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to him by the Chairman. 9. Appointment of Committee .– The 20 [* * * * ] Provincial Council may appoint such Committee consisting of such of its members as it thinks fit, and may refer to them any matter for consideration and report: Provided that the Council may, if it considers necessary, co-opt any person to a Committee. 10. Establishments to employ disabled persons .– (1) Not less than 21 [three 19Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.8; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 20Omitted the words “ National Council or a” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.9; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 21Substituted by the Punjab Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2015 (XX of 2015), w.e.f. 14.4.2015, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), page 4729, which were substituted for the words “one percent] of the total number of pe rsons employed by an establishment at any time shall be disabled persons whose names have been registered with the Employment Exchange of the area in which such establishment is located and against whose names in the register maintained under section 12 an endorsement exists to the effect that they are fit to work. (2) The disabled persons employed against any post in pursuance of sub - section (1) shall be entitled to the terms and conditions which are not less favourable than those of the other persons empl oyed by the establishment against similar posts. (3) When calculating the percentage of the posts in an establishment for the purposes of employment of disabled persons, the fraction of 0.5 and above shall count as a whole number. 11. Establishment to pay to the Fund.– An establishment which does not employ a disabled person as required by section 10 shall pay in to the Funds each month the sum of money it would have paid as salary or wages to a disabled person had he been employed. 12. Registration of disa bled persons .– (1) Any disabled person desirous of being employed or otherwise rehabilitated may have his name registered in the register maintained by an Employment Exchange in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed by the 22 [Government]; and th e Employment Exchange shall refer all names so registered to the Provincial Council. (2) The Provincial Council shall, if it thinks necessary, cause each disabled person registered under sub-section (1) to be assessed as to the nature of his functional disability and also as to his aptitude and the nature of work he is fit to do by a medical officer authorised by it in his behalf or by such assessing board consisting of not less than one medical officer as it may appoint, and the medical officer or, as the case may be, the assessing board shall submit its report to the Provincial Council in such form as may be prescribed by the 23 [Government]. (3) If the disabled person is considered by the Provincial Council fit to work, it shall so inform the Employment Exchange, i ndicating the nature of work for which he may be employed or the trade or vocation in which he may be trained, and an endorsement to that effect shall be made against his name in the register. (4) If the disabled person is not considered by the Provincial Council fit to work, the Provincial Council shall inform the Employment Exchange accordingly for an endorsement to that effect being made against his name in the register, and the Provincial Council shall take such measures for his rehabilitation as it thinks fit. (5) If a person is declared by the Provincial Council not to be a disabled person, his name shall be struck off the register. 13. Establishment of training centers.– The Provincial Council shall arrange for percent” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.10; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 22Substituted for the words “Federal Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 23Substituted for the word s “Provincial Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. the training of disabled persons in such trades or vocations as it thinks fit, and shall establish training centers in such trades or vocations and in such manner as may be prescribed by the 24 [Government]. 14. Establishments to furnish information .– Every Establishment shall furnish to such person or authority such information required for the implementation of the provisions of this Ordinance in such form and in such manner as the 25 [Government] may, by notification in the official Gazette, specify. 15. Power to debar further employment .– (1) The Provincial Council may debar from further employment or training for such period as may be specified by it any disabled person who, without valid reason, refuses to accept or abandons his employment or training under this Ordinance or otherwise acts in a manner detrimental to the interests of the trade or profession in which he is employed or undergoing training. (2) No disabled person shall be debarred under sub -section (1) unless he has been given an opportunity of being heard. 16. Appeal.– (1) Any person aggrieved by an order under section 15 may prefer an appeal to the 26 [Government] within thirty days of the date of the order. (2) The 27 [Government] may call for the record of the case and may, after giving the parties an opportunity of being heard or after making such further enquiry as it thinks fit, stay or suspend the operation of the order or may pass such order as it thinks fit. 17. Fund.– (1) There shall be established by the 28 [Government] a Fund to be known as the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Fund which shall comprise– (a) all sums paid by the establishment under section 11; 29 [(b) all grants, if made by the Federal Government, Government or local bodies; and ] (c) donations, if any, made by private individuals . 30 [(2) The funds shall be administered by the Pr ovincial Council in consultation with the Government.] 24Substituted for the word s “Provincial Government” by the Disabl ed Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 25Substituted for the word s “National Council” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.11; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 26Substituted for the words “National Council” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.12; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 27Substituted for the words “National Council” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.12; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 28Substituted for the words “Federal Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 29Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.13; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 30Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.13; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 18. Power to exempt .– The 31 [Government] may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt any establishment or class of establishments from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this Ordnance. 19. Delegation of power.– 32 [(1) * * * * * * * * ] 33 [(2) The Provincial Council may, subject to such conditions as it may specify, delegate any of its powers or functions to any of its members.] 20. Penalty.– Any establishment which fails to pay into th e Fund any sum it is required to pay under section 11 shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and, in the case of non -payment of fine, with an additional fine which may extend to ten rupees for every day during which the payme nt of fine is not made. 21. Cognizance of offences, etc.– (1) No court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the first class shall try an offence punishable under this Ordinance. (2) No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under this Ordinance except upon a complaint in writing made by, or under the authority of, the National Council or the Provincial Council. 22. Power to make rules .– (1) The 34 [Government] may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance. 35 [(2) * * * * * * * * * * * ] 31Substituted for the words “Federal Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 32Omitted by the Disabled Persons (Em ployment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.14; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 33Substituted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.14; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 34Substituted for the words “Federal Government” by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.2; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146. 35Omitted by the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act 2012 (XIII of 2012), w.e.f. 11.2.2012, s.15; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 40143-40146.