The Chaudhry Nazar Muhammad Department of Economics is pleased to invite you to the Brown Bag Talk by Aliza Mehfooz on Monday19th October 2026, at 3:00 PM in the CNM Department of Economics Boardroom, Wing C, First Floor, Academic Block 

Ms. Mehfooz will present his talk on "Higher Education as a Catalyst for Addressing Educational Challenges of Persons with Disabilities in Pakistan."

If anyone would like to join online, please use the Zoom link below.

https://lums-edu-pk.zoom.us/j/95126421885?pwd=LrtjeZihA1Gn7jbyEjFBEIC7DJwe4u.1

Meeting ID: 951 2642 1885

Passcode: 260968

Speaker: Aliza Mehfooz, Human Rights Researcher & Manager Research at NOWPDP, working at the intersection of gender, disability, and freedom of religious belief. Her work focuses on inclusive education, employment and psychosocial well-being of persons with disabilities, child marriage, forced conversion through marriage, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender-based violence.

Abstract: 

The issue of education for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan is rooted in various social, economic, and political challenges, which also make the entire educational ecosystem for the PWDs fragmented in the country, with no standardization. Against this backdrop, there remains uncertainty about the current landscape and future of the field of inclusive and special education in Pakistan and the relevant professionals. This also becomes a challenge for higher education on how to pursue the academic structure and plans for Special Educational Needs (SEN). Thus, this study serves the purpose of examining the contemporary SEN dynamics, including laws, policies, market demand and challenges, and potential opportunities for higher education on future SEN pathways. The research has focused on both primary and secondary data for qualitative analysis, guided by recognized frameworks, such as the ecological model and evolutionary approach. Findings reveal a serious lack of awareness, policy support, and funding for SEN across all educational levels in Pakistan, resulting in limited development of inclusive and special education. This gap reduces demand for SEN professionals, discourages academic engagement with the field at the level of higher education, and ultimately restricts PWDs’ access to specialized services, affecting their educational and professional outcomes. Within this context, the study develops a comprehensive framework for higher education, explaining what, why, where, when, and how they can implement the proposed SEN model within their system to deal with the prevailing SEN challenges in the country from a two-pronged approach of academic evolution and advocacy.