ISLAMABAD – The federal government is weighing the option of introducing new local taxes in the capital to help cover the running costs of the Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre, a mega health project being developed in sector H-16.
The scheme is being executed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) under the Ministry of Health. According to sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently directed the attorney general, the law minister, and the CDA chairman to move ahead with draft legislation that would make the taxation framework possible.
Official says taxes can be imposed on junk food and other unhealthy items in Islamabad.https://t.co/pfqerAJUqV
— Dawn Business (@dawn_business) September 8, 2025
Officials indicated that the levies may specifically target junk food, cigarettes, and other unhealthy consumption patterns. “The idea is to fund operations of the complex by discouraging harmful activities,” said one official, adding that proper legislation would be required before any such move.
The project, approved with a PC-I worth Rs212 billion, will be rolled out in two stages. The first will see the establishment of a state-of-the-art hospital, while the second phase will add a medical college and advanced research facilities. More than 600 kanals of land have already been allocated for the purpose.
A Turkish-Pakistani joint venture consultancy has been chosen to refine the design and prepare bidding documents, with the first phase valued at Rs75 billion. The CDA board has cleared the consultant’s bid, and a letter of acceptance is expected soon. Work on the boundary wall of the complex is also set to begin this week.
At the groundbreaking held in July 2024, Prime Minister Sharif had pledged that the facility would provide 100 percent free treatment for deserving patients. He described it as a gift of the coalition government, meant not only for the twin cities but also for people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
Once completed, the complex is expected to offer world-class healthcare in areas such as cardiology, oncology, pulmonology, nephrology, and more — making it one of the region’s most advanced medical hubs.
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