Amnah Aftab
Founder and CEO
Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation, Lahore
Pull Quote:
“Amnah Aftab, Founder and CEO of the Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation, Lahore, shares her journey in an interview with Flare Magazine. She said her experience as a committed mother of two children with special needs inspired her to turn her personal challenges into a mission to foster positive change. Witnessing her children navigate a society that is not adequately prepared to support them motivated her to make a significant impact in the special needs sector of Pakistan”
Interview Transcript
Flare: What motivated you to establish the Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation, and how has your journey influenced its mission?
Amnah Aftab: As a dedicated mother of two children with special needs, I turned my personal struggles into a mission to drive positive change. Seeing my children cope with a society ill-equipped to meet their needs led me to take a pivotal step in Pakistan’s special needs sector.
The journey began with rejection, setbacks, limited opportunities, and societal apathy. Yet, every challenge strengthened my determination. Driven by my faith in Almighty Allah and belief in my children’s value, I remained committed to creating a better future for them and others like them.
Today, by the grace of Allah, those efforts have evolved into a legacy. HMR is recognised across Pakistan for its dedication to the special needs community. With a passionate team, I have led numerous innovative projects focused on hope, inclusion, and love. In nine years, what began as a mother’s struggle has become a movement for change.
Flare: What are the Foundation’s main programmes, and how many people have benefited?
Amnah Aftab: Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation operates several institutions and programmes:
Maskan: Skill Development & Vocational Training Institute with Hostel – 3,500 beneficiaries.
Mashal-e-Noor: Institute for Abandoned & Specially Challenged Children with Hostel – 4,200 beneficiaries.
HMR Bright Beginnings: Independent Living & Rehabilitation Center – 380 beneficiaries.
Mashal-e-Iqra: Girls’ School in Kasur – 9,600 students.
Independent Living Centre: Renovated facility for special needs students and faculty.
Mashal-e-Rozgar: Entrepreneurship support for persons with disabilities – 850 beneficiaries.
Mashal-e-Hunar: Skills training for marginalised women – 2,800 beneficiaries.
Mashal-e-Shifa: Free medical camps, medicines, and assistive devices – 8,600 beneficiaries.
Ramadan Drive: Rations, Sehris, Iftaris, and Eid gifts – more than one million beneficiaries.
Disaster Management: COVID-19 and flood relief – more than 500,000 beneficiaries.
Awareness Campaigns: Lectures, walks, and social media campaigns reaching millions.
Flare: What are the major hindrances individuals with disabilities face in Pakistan?
Amnah Aftab: Many challenges are shaped by societal attitudes rather than disabilities themselves. Limited inclusive education, inaccessible public spaces, inadequate healthcare, unemployment, and social stigma continue to marginalise millions. Pakistan must move from sympathy to genuine inclusion and from charity to equal rights and opportunities.
Flare: Please explain the Noor-e-Maskan project and the long-term support it will provide.
Amnah Aftab: Noor-e-Maskan will be Pakistan’s first nursing home accompanied by a research centre dedicated to children and adults with special needs. It will provide comprehensive rehabilitation, residential, and research facilities for neurodivergent individuals and those requiring spinal care, Alzheimer’s support, and other special needs. The facility will offer round-the-clock care and therapies, including speech, physiotherapy, occupational, and behavioural therapy.
It will also focus on independent living, vocational training, education, recreation, medical supervision, and residential support. Its research centre will promote evidence-based practices, contribute to disability-related policies, and support professional development.
Flare: How will the Foundation address parents’ concerns about who will care for their children when they are no longer able to do so?
Amnah Aftab: We are addressing this concern through Noor-e-Maskan, a long-term rehabilitation and residential care initiative designed to provide a safe, dignified, and supportive environment for children and adults with special needs throughout their lives.
The vision is simple: parents should not have to fear for their children’s well-being after they pass away. Noor-e-Maskan aims to provide continuity of care, security, dignity, belonging, and a home where every individual can have a promising future.
Flare: How can vocational training, technology, and entrepreneurship help individuals with disabilities achieve financial independence?
Amnah Aftab: Vocational training, technology, and entrepreneurship can create opportunities that traditional systems often overlook. By developing practical and digital skills and promoting inclusive employment, individuals with disabilities can achieve financial independence and become active members of society. We must create opportunities for their abilities to shine.
Flare: How effective are Pakistan’s current disability laws and policies, and where is implementation lacking?
Amnah Aftab: Pakistan has made progress in recognising disability rights, but effective implementation remains the major challenge. Policies must translate into accessible infrastructure, inclusive education, quality healthcare, and meaningful employment. The corporate sector, educational institutions, and media must work together to build an inclusive society—not simply as an act of charity, but as a shared responsibility.
Flare: What roles can the corporate sector, educational institutions, and media play in creating employment and changing perceptions?
Amnah Aftab: The corporate sector can create inclusive jobs, internships, and entrepreneurship opportunities that focus on abilities rather than disabilities. Educational institutions should ensure equal access, provide skills training, and develop career pathways that build confidence and economic independence. Media can challenge stereotypes, address stigma, and highlight success stories, helping replace pity with respect and recognition.
Flare: What are the Foundation’s major achievements, partnerships, challenges, and impact?
Amnah Aftab: Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation empowers individuals with disabilities through education, vocational training, rehabilitation, and livelihoods. Through partnerships with the corporate sector, educational institutions, government, and development organisations, HMR has expanded opportunities for inclusion and independence.
Challenges include stigma, limited employment, accessibility barriers, and sustainable funding. HMR measures impact through skills gained, employment and business placements, increased independence, and improved quality of life—transforming lives from dependency to dignity and exclusion to opportunity.
Flare: What is your long-term vision for Hum Mashal-e-Rah Foundation, and what message do you have for individuals with disabilities, their families, and policymakers?
Amnah Aftab: Our vision is an inclusive Pakistan where disability never limits access to rehabilitation, education, employment, and independent living. We will continue developing sustainable initiatives such as Noor-e-Maskan.
Disability does not limit potential. With opportunity, accessibility, and respect, every individual can achieve dignity, purpose, and independence.
