Govt Considers New Taxes in Islamabad to Support Construction of Jinnah Medical Complex

The federal government is weighing the option of introducing new taxes in the capital to fund the running costs of the upcoming Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre, planned at sector H-16. The mega project, being developed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) under the Ministry of Health, will be one of the largest healthcare facilities in the region. According to official sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently chaired a meeting where he directed the attorney general, the law minister, and the CDA chairman to prepare draft legislation for the introduction of local taxes to sustain the project. An official confirmed that the proposal is under active consideration. “Yes, there is a plan to levy taxes to cover operational expenses of the Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre. Before that, new legislation will be required,” the source said. He suggested that these levies might target “junk food, cigarettes, and other unhealthy items or habits” to both raise funds and discourage unhealthy lifestyles. The medical complex, with an approved cost of Rs. 212 billion, will be developed in two stages: the first phase includes the construction of a hospital. In contrast, the second phase will add a medical college and research facilities. The CDA has already allocated more than 600 kanals of land for the project. The CDA board has also cleared the bid of a consultant — a joint venture between a Turkish firm and a Pakistani company — which will now be issued a letter of acceptance. The consultancy will oversee design reviews and finalize bidding documents for construction. The first phase alone is valued at Rs75 billion and will be carried out under the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model. Meanwhile, bidding for the construction of the complex’s boundary wall is set to open this week.