(India) Punjab: More than 5,000 children enrolled in autism school

Oct 11, 2025, Nation: 5,000 special kids enrolled in first autism school

LAHORE  -  Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting on Special Educa-tion on Friday to review the progress in the province’s special education sec-tor.  The chief minister was told for the first time in Punjab’s history, more than 5,000 special children have been enrolled in the Maryam Nawaz Autism School within a short period. The chief minister lauded Special Assistant Sania Ashiq and her team for their exceptional work in launching and expanding the institution. She announced that underprivileged children would receive free therapy and education at the Maryam Nawaz Autism School and gave principal approval to include special children in the ‘Himmat’ Card program. To further improve services, the Punjab government will engage world-class au-tism experts to enhance the quality of education and therapy. 

The meeting also approved the procurement of 48 new buses, the design of new uniforms, and mod-el school layouts for students, teachers, and staff.

Maryam Nawaz constituted a 13-member Board of Governors and approved a three-year strategic plan for the Autism Resource Center. During the briefing, Sania Ashiq shared that the Maryam Nawaz Autism School is based on a customized, ev-idence-based model developed after extensive study of successful international approaches. The curriculum, she said, integrates communication and language skills, life skills, Islamic and moral education, technology, physical educa-tion, and social studies under a “functional green” learning framework.

She further informed that Pakistan’s first dedicated autism school will feature modern facilities including an open gym, walking track, sensory garden, and sound therapy centers.

Children aged 3 to 16 years will be admitted, with continued education and therapy available up to age 22 at the Autism School and Research Center. . . .