Autism Society of Pakistan (ASP)

ASP is certified by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and therefore benefits from the Tax Exemption offered under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. It is run by a Board of Governors comprising of professionals and affected parents. The annual statutory audit of the financial statements is conducted by renowned Chartered Accountants since inception. Transparency is ensured by placing all relevant information, including the said audit report on the ASP website.

The programs are designed to facilitate complete solution for diagnosis and therapy of autism spectrum disorders under one roof. Since the treatment is demanding as well as expensive, the aim is to provide maximum facilities at minimal cost, especially for those who are financially disadvantaged.

ASP, serves over hundred children at a time with a large number on the waiting list. A core group of qualified therapists including special educationists, ABA therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists are trained to look after the scholastic, vocational and behavioural activities. Each child is provided a teacher aid. ASP provides wide range of services including initial assessment and intervention that includes behaviour modification therapy and applied behaviour analysis, speech therapy and physiotherapy etc. The affected parents are also provided counselling facilities. In most cases parents and guardians are encouraged and trained to become active participants in the running of these programs. This ensures a culture of transparency and simultaneously provides a consistent structure to be followed at home after school, benefiting both the institution and the children.

Financial support

It has been observed, through the history of ASP, the enrolled, especially at the Rawalpindi resource centre, belong to the lower or lower middle income strata. Most of their families find even the very basic cost of commute, backbreaking.  Adhering to the mission and spirit of ASP, substantial subsidies in fees are extended, to ensure maximum benefit is offered to the affected. Currently the subsidies availed, are 74% and 39% at Rawalpindi and Islamabad respectively. Consequently, ASP depends heavily on support from donors through sadaqat, zakat and contributions. Most of the contributions are received from private donors. In order to make ASP sustainable and simultaneously beneficial, through the years to come, it is necessary to generate regular contributions through corporate sectors and institutions with a will to undertake the cause. The monthly costs are calculated at Rs.33,000 and Rs.40,000 for Islamabad and Rawalpindi respectively.