Aga Khan Rural Support Program - AKRSP

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) was established in 1982 by the Aga Khan Foundation with the aim of improving the quality of life of local communities, primarily in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. The programmes initially started in Gilgit district before expanding to all five districts of the then Northern Areas, later renamed Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as the Chitral district of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), later renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).

These areas were among the poorest and most geographically isolated parts of Pakistan, characterised by a spatial poverty trap due to poor human, physical, and natural endowments. The population largely depended on subsistence agriculture, with chronic deficits in basic social services, physical infrastructure, and market access. The region also experienced an institutional transition from traditional princedoms to local government, reshaping governance and community participation in development. A major transformation came with the construction of the Karakoram Highway, which improved connectivity, trade, and access to resources.

AKRSP initially had two objectives:

a) To contribute to doubling the incomes of the people of Gilgit, Baltistan, and Chitral over a ten-year period.
b) To develop replicable approaches for community development.

AKRSP started its work as a catalyst for rural development by organizing communities, working with them to identify development opportunities, and promoting the provision of services needed to tackle the specific problems of high mountain regions.