Overview
- Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif opened the Maryam Nawaz School and Resource Center for Autism, described as Pakistan’s first government-run autism school.
- The facility offers a comprehensive model combining occupational, speech, art and music therapies with early childhood education, pre‑vocational training, computer labs, sensory areas and sand therapy.
- Officials said the campus rose from an empty plot in about a year, is built to international standards and represents a rare integrated setup.
- The chief minister announced plans to extend autism treatment and care services to every district in Punjab, alongside capacity building for special education teachers and training for parents.
- Access measures include 70 dedicated buses and guidance from specialist trainers, including foreign experts, with parents at the launch calling the center a new source of hope.