Mother battles court to secure adequate child support and therapy for neurodivergent daughter, highlighting gaps in Pakistani judicial system.

A mother in Pakistan has spent 30 months fighting for the rights of her autistic daughter, Elia. In 2023, when Elia was three and a half, a clinician scored her 35.5 on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, placing her in a moderate‑to‑severe category. She shows limited speech, avoids eye contact, and uses repetitive actions such as rolling her hair or flapping her hands to self‑regulate. Doctors advised Applied Behaviour Analysis, developmental therapy, speech and language therapy using the Picture Exchange Communication System, and occupational therapy to improve fine motor skills. The combined cost of these services can reach Rs250 000 a month. The mother pursued legal action after doubts were raised about Elia’s diagnosis, arguing that the court’s financial assessment did not reflect the true cost of care. The court originally awarded a support figure of Rs150 000 per month, later reduced to Rs100 000. In 2021, the mother enrolled Elia in a mainstream nursery with a trained shadow teacher, a specialized role that helped Elia participate alongside neurotypical classmates. School fees were Rs33 000 a month, and the shadow teacher’s salary was Rs40 000 a month. Including transportation, fuel, books and supplies, the total monthly expenditure reached Rs100 000. The mother’s savings were depleted, and by December 2025 Elia had to withdraw from school. The mother notes that delays in child‑support payments disrupt essential therapies. “At times, I could afford only occupational therapy at Rs40 000 or only speech therapy at Rs60 000; sometimes everything had to stop,” she says. She highlights societal attitudes that treat autistic children as less deserving of rights and resources, a mindset she encounters in everyday encounters and in court proceedings. She shares an incident in a shopping mall where her child, overwhelmed by crowds, started hand‑flapping. A woman nearby reacted with a comment that implied the mother kept her daughter at home: “If your daughter is crazy, why do you bring her outside? Keep her locked up at home.” The mother explains that such remarks reveal a broader prejudice that autistic children cannot learn, work, or contribute meaningfully.