Why it is worth getting
The disability certificate, and the special CNIC that follows it, are what most government schemes ask for. They are usually needed for support from Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, for jobs reserved under the disability quota, and for other concessions. Getting them done early saves trouble later.
In Sindh: the DEPD route
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Sindh, handles registration. You submit an application, usually at the department's district centre, with your documents. You are then assessed by a medical board, which decides on the certificate. Once it is approved, you collect the certificate and take it to NADRA.
In Balochistan
In Balochistan, as in most provinces, disability assessment boards sit at district headquarters hospitals and work with the Social Welfare Department. Ask at the district hospital or the Social Welfare office for the next board date and the documents they need.
Documents to prepare
- Several photocopies of your CNIC, or a B-Form or birth certificate with the father's CNIC for a child
- Medical documents: the surgeon's notes and discharge summary
- Educational certificates, if you have them
- Passport-size photographs
- The application form from the department
Take more copies than you think you need.
The special CNIC from NADRA
The special CNIC looks like an ordinary CNIC with a small disability logo. You apply in person at a NADRA centre with your disability certificate. Many government benefits for persons with disabilities require it.
Tips to make it easier
Go early in the day, take a family member, and keep all papers in one folder. Organisations working with persons with disabilities sometimes run one-window camps where the assessment, certificate and NADRA steps happen in one place; ask around. Procedures and offices change, so confirm the current process with the department before you travel.