HYDERABAD: Using questionable language for the physically challenged, Senior Sindh Minister for Food and Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said that if a person is physically disabled he can be rehabilitated with the help of physiotherapy. But if somebody is `politically disabled`, it will be impossible to treat and rehabilitate him to his former state.

`Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has become a politically lame and disabled person. He is nowadays roaming about in London while our other friend [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan] who believes in umpire`s finger looks disappointed these days,` said Mr Khuhro at a press conference held at the residence of PPP leader Ali Nawaz Shah here on Wednesday evening.

He said that assemblies existed in the country and democracy was functioning, there was no intervention from army and even judiciary could not overstep the Constitution. The credit for it all went to Pakistan Peoples Party which offered great sacrifices to restore democracy in the country, he said.

He said that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had already launched his mass contact campaign ahead of elections next year and in this connection a big public meeting would be held in Dadu on Sept 16. He said that he had come to Hyderabad to attend a programme about World Physical Therapy Day at Liaquat University of Medical and Sciences (LUMHS) where he was informed that if a person was physically disabled, he could be rehabilitated through physiotherapy.

But he believed if somebody was `politically disabled`, it would be impossible to treat and rehabilitate him to his former state, hesaid. He said that those who formed One Unit became politically disabled and history bore witness to their fall. Whoever went against democracy would become disabled, he said.

He dismissed as baseless rumours that Burmese Muslims would be settled in Sindh and said that he condemned injustices and atrocities meted out to Rohingya Muslims in the strongest terms and protested against it. But if Burmese Muslims were settled in the province, PPP would oppose it.

About Muttahida Qaumi Movement, he said that the party stood divided while political changes were taking place inurban areas as well. PPP had political contacts with MQM in the past and if MQM-Pakistan had completely dissociated itself from antiPakistan politics of MQM-London, then it could be approached.

Commenting on reports about presence of activists of terror outfits in educational institutions, Mr Khuhro said the government was looking into the issue seriously as terrorism could never be tolerated at any cost.

To a question about upcoming public meeting of PTI, he said that Mr Khan had turned to Sindh after getting disappointed with Lahore but he would face disappointment here as well.Earlier, Mr Khuhro said at a public awareness walk held to mark the World Physical Therapy Day at LUMHS that physiotherapists were helping maintain people`s ability to move and function throughout their lives.

Armed with an advanced understanding of how the body moved and what kept it from moving well, they promoted wellness, mobility and independence, he said. They treated and prevented many problems caused by pain, illness, disability and disease, sportsand work-related injuries, ageing and inactivity, he said.

He said that the government would consider creating posts forphysiotherapists in basic health units of the province.

LUMHS Vice Chancellor Prof Noshad A. Shaikh said that evidence showed that people who stayed active were more likely to 1(eep worl(ing, engaging in society and enjoying life. `The physiotherapists have a vital role in helping them do so at every stage of their life,` he said.

He said the profession of physiotherapy helped millions of people every year to prevent and manage effects of non-communicable diseases along with the effects of inactive lifestyles, aging, illness, accidents and the stresses and strains of life.