The federal government is weighing new local taxes in Islamabad to fund the upcoming Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre, a Rs212 billion project planned in the H-16 sector.
According to media reports, items such as junk food and cigarettes may be included in the tax list to help finance the initiative.
The scheme aims not only to provide a modern hospital but also to discourage unhealthy consumption habits. The project will be completed in two phases.
The first phase, costing Rs75 billion, will see the establishment of a hospital designed to offer state-of-the-art facilities and free treatment for underprivileged patients.
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The second phase will introduce a medical college to train future healthcare professionals.
Over 600 kanals of land have been allocated by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). A joint Turkish-Pakistani consultancy is finalising designs and preparing construction bids, with the tender for the boundary wall already underway.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pledged that the facility will be one of the finest in the region, reaffirming his promise of free healthcare for deserving patients.
