ISLAMABAD: On the direction of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) board will be discussing the issue of allotting all of I-17 to the National University of Medical Sciences (Nums) for setting up a medical city in its Wednesday meeting.

The medical city will be set up by Nums in order to address the growing healthcare needs of the people of Islamabad and its surrounding areas. According to CDA officials, it is likely that the board will approve the allocation of the entire sector for the medical city as the federal government has already made a decision in this regard.

According to the proposal, the medical city will include a 4,000-bed hospital, an organ transplant centre, medical college, nursing college and other allied facilities.

According to the city’s master plan, I-17 was reserved for industrial units. CDA officials said that it was decided to change the status of the sector and alter the master plan through the cabinet.

The officials Dawn talked to said the decision to place the issue of the allotment of land to Nums was taken following a meeting held in the Prime Minister’s Office on March 27.

The participants were apprised that in an earlier meeting ,the prime minister and chief of army staff agreed in principle that the federal government will facilitate Nums in establishing a state-of-the-art medical city in Islamabad, the officials said. It was also agreed that the federal government will support and also financially contribute towards the acquisition of land.

During the March 27 meeting, it was also decided that since the acquisition and development of the entire sector spread over 7,346 kanals will require substantial funding, the financial issues will be discussed in another meeting between the premier and the chief of army staff. It was also decided that a comprehensive plan will be finalised for the accommodation of those affected by the acquisition in another sector where the CDA possesses adequate land.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2018