After years, Jaipur Foot steps on Pakistan soil

The Rotary Club and HASWA Foundation of Karachi invited DR Mehta – Founder & Chief Patron of Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), Jaipur, to visit Karachi to review and also highlight the humanitarian project for providing Jaipur Foot / Limbs at the Jaipur Foot Center set up jointly by HASWA and Rotary Club Karachi in 2007 with BMVSS, Jaipur as a trainer and technical partner. It was a unique people to people project. Despite, the present level of relationship between India and Pakistan, Mehta, quickly got the VISA and he reached Karachi at midnight on March 23, 2018. He found Karachi as safe as Mumbai.

The Jaipur Foot Center, Karachi, in the last 10 years, has become one of the largest artificial limb fitment centers in Pakistan. By now, it has provided artificial limbs to about 17,000 amputees coming from various parts of Pakistan. Mehta spoke to large number of patients and the feedback he got was very positive.

The amputees after getting artificial limbs were walking normally. With the movement at the ankle, a special feature of Jaipur Foot, they could normally perform Namaz, not easily possible with the western design feet. The center has become an example of the cross-border collaboration and humanism.

Mehta agreed to provide Jaipur Limb center in Pakistan, Jaipur Knee Joint, a product developed by the Stanford University – USA and BMVSS for above-knee amputees. This joint was hailed by TIME Magazine – USA as one of the 50-Best Inventions of the world for the year 2009. The presentation given by Mehta, on Jaipur Foot, particularly on its impact in Pakistan, to Karachi Rotary Club, evoked standing ovation by hundreds of its members. Mehta’s impression was that the Jaipur Foot was the most respected Indian product in Pakistan with widespread acceptability.