Every child deserves to be understood, not just seen. For thousands of children across Pakistan living with autism, that simple recognition is still a daily struggle.
While exact numbers are hard to pin down, estimates suggest that over 350,000 children in Pakistan are on the autism spectrum. But despite the scale, autism remains widely misunderstood. Parents are often left to navigate a confusing maze of misinformation, judgment, and scarce resources-all while fighting to give their child a fair shot at life. Some steps forward have been taken. In October 2024, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the province’s first government-run autism school in Lahore. The government also launched the “Himat Card” initiative, aimed at providing financial support to around 65,000 differently-abled individuals. For many, these moves offered a glimmer of hope.
But let’s be clear: hope isn’t enough.
Most families still don’t have access to an early diagnosis-often the difference between a child thriving or falling through the cracks. There are very few trained specialists in the country, and almost all of them are in major cities. That means for families in smaller towns or rural areas, support is not just hard to find-it’s practically unreachable.
The burden, as always, falls on parents. They become advocates, researchers, therapists, and caregivers, all rolled into one-often while battling the stigma that comes with having a child who doesn’t “fit in.”
Thankfully, organizations like Autism Point and the Autism Society of Pakistan are doing important work to fill in the gaps-offering therapy, training, and community support. But without a national policy and serious investment, these efforts will never be enough.
We need to do better.
It starts with listening: to the families, to the children, and to the professionals who’ve been sounding the alarm for years. We need public awareness campaigns that replace shame with understanding. We need policies that prioritize early diagnosis and inclusive education. And above all, we need empathy. *