PESHAWAR: With his willpower, Asadullah, 26, has not only managed to overcome disability but also excel in sports and set an example for others. Crippled by polio since he was six months old, he proved his mettle by winning two gold medals in wheelchair competitions in 2008 and 2001.

He is the founder and president of Independent Committee for Special Persons, which he established to motivate disabled persons to participate in healthy activities, so they “do not feel left behind and lead normal lives”.

While talking to The Express Tribune, he commented, “The handicapped are no less capable than anyone else; it’s only a matter of getting proper support.” His organisation works to help handicapped persons participate in various games and other healthy activities and help them become useful citizens.

During the National Olympics for Disabled Persons in 2008, Asad won a gold medal after bagging the first position in a three-kilometre wheelchair race. In 2011, he got another gold medal for getting the first position in a provincial-level wheelchair competition. He also won two bronze medals in body building competition, sponsored by Baitul Mal in Lahore, and won a bronze medal in Tajikistan for a weight-lifting competition this year.

 

http://tribune.com.pk/story/427372/surmounting-odds-a-glimmer-of-hope-for-the-handicapped/