ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally launched the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme, which provides free medical treatment to residents of Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Prime Minister’s Health Card, the Prime Minister said that the launch of the programme reflects the government’s continued commitment to public welfare and its efforts to deliver healthcare facilities at people’s doorsteps.
He said that health is life’s most precious asset, and only a healthy society can progress in education, sports, and every other field of life. While the elite can afford expensive medical treatment abroad, access to healthcare remains a major challenge for ordinary citizens, labourers, and the poor. Therefore, he said, this programme holds immense importance.
The Prime Minister directed that transparency in the programme be ensured through third-party oversight.
He added that the proposal to launch the Health Card programme in Sindh is under consideration and that discussions will be held with the Sindh Chief Minister to find a solution so that people there can also benefit from the facility. He noted that healthcare programmes are already being implemented successfully in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab, with billions of rupees being spent on public health.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme CEO Muhammad Arshad Qaimkhani said that the programme, which began in 2016, has now evolved into a model of universal health coverage.
He stated that, according to poverty surveys, 66 percent of people fall below the poverty line due to inability to bear healthcare expenses, whereas under the Health Card programme, cashless treatment will be available at more than 600 public and private hospitals.
He further said that CNICs and children’s B-Forms can be used as health cards, ensuring that every Pakistani—from the mountains of Gilgit to the shores of Gwadar—will have access to free medical treatment.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister also distributed Health Cards for residents of Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal, in his address, said that permanent residents of Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will benefit from free healthcare facilities, adding that nearly 10 million people in these regions will receive free medical treatment. Citing the World Health Organization, he said that 13 million Pakistanis have been pushed towards the poverty line due to illness, and now no poor person will have to wander in search of treatment for their family.
He said people will no longer be forced to sell household items or jewellery to pay for medical care, and no child will be deprived of treatment due to poverty. He added that more than 1,000 public and private hospitals are part of the Health Card panel. Under the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership, he said, no mother will fear medical expenses, and whether it is an emergency or a major surgery, every patient will receive free treatment with dignity and convenience.
Mustafa Kamal requested the Prime Minister to extend the Health Card facility to 10 urban and rural districts of Sindh in the upcoming health budget, which would cost approximately Rs24 billion annually. He pointed out disparities in Karachi, where some residents receive free treatment while others do not solely due to differences in CNIC registration. He said that while individuals living in Karachi with non-Karachi CNICs can avail free treatment, Karachi CNIC holders remain deprived of the facility. In response, the Prime Minister assured that he would discuss the matter with the Sindh Chief Minister.
The health minister further said that Pakistan’s healthcare system has long been limited to a “sick care” model, whereas a true healthcare system not only treats illness but also works to prevent disease. He added that practical steps are being taken to transform the existing sick-care approach into a comprehensive healthcare system.
