{"id":464,"date":"2026-01-16T17:40:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T17:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=464"},"modified":"2026-01-16T17:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T17:40:14","slug":"free-healthcare-expanded-as-pm-health-card-relaunched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=464","title":{"rendered":"Free Healthcare Expanded as PM Health Card Relaunched"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ISLAMABAD:<\/strong> Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revived and extended the Prime Minister\u2019s Health Card programme to Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan, reaffirming healthcare as a fundamental right for every Pakistani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing the launch ceremony on Friday, the prime minister said the initiative aims to provide free, quality medical treatment to citizens regardless of income or status. He stressed that health is the foundation of education, employment and national progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PM Shehbaz said the true responsibility of the state is to protect the poor, labourers, widows and orphans who cannot afford expensive medical care. He directed authorities to ensure transparent implementation through third-party monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prime minister said the programme would be personally monitored and hinted at extending it to Sindh after consultations with the provincial leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the revived scheme will provide free, cashless treatment to nearly 10 million people in the covered regions. Around 70 hospitals have been empanelled, including additional facilities in Islamabad and Karachi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revived and extended the Prime Minister\u2019s Health Card programme to Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan, reaffirming healthcare as a fundamental right… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":465,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[337,339,336,338,320],"class_list":["post-464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan","tag-free-healthcare","tag-government-initiative","tag-health-card","tag-pakistan-health-policy","tag-pm-shehbaz-sharif"],"yoast_head":"\nFree Healthcare Expanded as PM Health Card Relaunched - World Watch Alert<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"PM Shehbaz Sharif revives the Health Card programme to Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, ensuring free healthcare for millions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=464\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Free Healthcare Expanded as PM Health Card Relaunched - 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