The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, laid the foundation of Pakistan’s first government Autism School in Lahore and initiated the Himmat Card Program, which intends to support differently-abled individuals.
Both of the initiatives highlight her dedication to improving the lives of those with special requirements across the province. During her visit to the site of the autism school, Chief Minister Maryum Nawaz was given instructions on the state-of-the-art facilities being constructed. The school is expected to feature a ground and first floor with 11 classrooms allocated for the junior section and 10 classrooms for the senior section.
Furthermore, besides classrooms, the school is expected to incorporate a cubicle speed session room, therapy room, pre-vocational training room, computer lab, and a daily living activity room. The first floor is expected to accommodate three classrooms, a multi-purpose hall, a library, a resource room, and a committee room.
Remarkably, the building is created to accommodate two additional floors for future expansion, ensuring guaranteed capacity for growth. The security features, for example, telephone exchange and fire alarms, are expected to be installed and construction is set to be finalized within one year under the direction of Maryam Nawaz. Chief Minister has also given instructions on the immediate recruitment of autism experts and highly emphasized that consultation with specialists is expected to shape the operational plan for the school.
Read more: Pakistan’s First National Autism Center For Children Established In Islamabad
Showcasing her dedication to the cause, Maryam Nawaz claimed that autistic children are deserving of kindness, love, and empathy and that the school holds a special place in her heart. In addition to the autism school, Chief Minister Maryum Nawaz initiated the Himmat Card program, which is expected to deliver 65,000 deserving individuals with a quarterly allowance of Rs. 10,500 initially.
The Himmat Card is expected to serve as a travel card, allowing free rides on the Orange Line and Metro buses in the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan, starting from 15th October. At the launch event, the Chief Minister declared that more cards would be made accessible via the application sent directly to her office.
In a symbolic sign of belonging, she invited differently-abled individuals to sit beside her, however, officials and ministers were seated behind those children.
Maryum Nawaz has also distributed the Himmat card to the people present there and personally involved and interacted with the recipients showcasing her empathy and kindness to the children present there.