Pakistan, Aug. 21 -- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is no longer a rare developmental disability. It has become one of the fastest-growing developmental disabilities worldwide, demanding urgent attention from governments, education systems and public health institutions. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately one in every 127 children is estimated to have autism globally (WHO, 2025), although experts believe the true prevalence is considerably higher because many children remain undiagnosed, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in every 31 eight-year-old children has some degree of autism.

For Pakistan, no reliable ...