Punjab Additional Advocate General Faisal Fareed Chaudhry wrote a letter to the chief justice and requested for permission of documents submission in Braille Format for visually impaired litigants. During the hearing, he also requested usage of modern formats and techniques for physically challenged persons.
Braille is a system of touch reading for the blind which employs embossed dots evenly arranged in quadrangular letter spaces or cells.
“The issue regardless of its tiniest importance carries huge bearing on the humanity,” said Chaudhry.
His letter addressed to chief justice stated that under the prevailing rules (Supreme Court Rules 1980), the documents in the Braille Format cannot be admitted in Supreme Court of Pakistan, because there is no room under the prevailing rules to accept the documents, that are prepared in formats, other than those provided under Order 7, Rules 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980.
He stated that after the registrar office refused to accept the documents prepared in Braille, he felt compelled to highlight this issue to facilitate visually impaired petitioners, who happen to be parties in the case pertaining to rights of disabled persons
“Sir, all over the world, the disable people are treated exceptionally and facilitated by adopting extraordinary measures,” he stated.
“Therefore, it is requested to kindly consider this issue on humanitarian grounds and allow the submission of documents prepared in the Braille format by bringing the suitable amendment in the 1980 Rules,” he requested.
“In addition, it also seems appropriate, to request to allow the usage of modern formats such as sign language and interpretation (when required) during the hearing/ proceedings (in the Supreme Court of Pakistan) to facilitate the persons that are not blessed with the hearing and talking senses/abilities.”