KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday approved a Rs100 billion master plan to revamp Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), with equal funding from Sindh government and philanthropists.
Presiding over a high-level meeting with stakeholders at the Chief Minister House, he approved in principle a Rs50bn grant for the master plan to overhaul the provincial capital’s healthcare infrastructure.
The meeting was attended, among others, by a diverse group of stakeholders and philanthropists, Faisal Edhi, Mushtaq Chhapra, Dr Saad Khalid Niaz and Shahid Abdullah.
Other participants included Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Chairman Planning and Development Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Health Secretary Tahir Sangi, Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital Dr Khalid Bukhari and Director Dr Dabeer.
The meeting decided that a board comprising professionals from both the public and private sectors would be appointed to oversee and expedite the project’s implementation.
According to a statement issued by the CM House, the ambitious project, backed by a provincial government contribution of Rs50bn, aims to double the hospital’s footprint while preserving its historical legacy.
The chief minister said that the goal was to modernise the facility and turn it into a world-class healthcare hub.
The hospital, which currently has 2,142 beds, will add 500 new beds. The hospital’s total area will expand from 835,095 square metres to 1,709,259 square metres.
Dilapidated structures and underutilised open spaces will be replaced with modern vertical towers. These will house a dedicated medical tower and surgical wards, new outpatient departments, burns ward, a jail ward, a modern mortuary, waste management systems, administrative blocks and specialised hostels for nurses and doctors.
The chief minister made it clear that while the hospital moved forward, its past would not be forgotten. “I will completely restore the heritage building,” he said, ensuring that historical structures were protected amidst the new construction.
To tackle the chronic traffic congestion around the facility, the plan includes widening surrounding roads. Both Yaqub Khan Road and Bezonji Street, which border the hospital, will be widened to ensure smooth ambulance access and ease patient transport.
“We want to modernise the Civil Hospital building while ensuring the heritage structures are protected, and the surrounding access roads are widened for the public’s convenience,” CM Shah said.
Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2026
