ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan on Sunday said the government will provide Qaumi Sehat Cards (QSC) to 100 per cent population of the federal capital.

Speaking at a ceremony to launch development projects in Shahdhra and Malpur, he said the government will provide the cards to all the permanent residents of Islamabad and the process will be finalised in next two months.

According to a press release, he said that within two weeks construction on Romli Road will be started.

The ban on utility connections in the rural areas of the capital has been lifted after a recent judgment of Islamabad High Court and soon Iesco and the SNGPL will start issuing new connections.

He said the PTI government had launched a large number of development works in entire Islamabad, adding for the first time special focus was being paid on rural areas.

Though a mechanism and approval is yet to accorded by the federal government, Sehat Sahulat Programme has been making efforts to issue QSC to residents of Islamabad.

Recently, they also moved a summary to Prime Minister Office seeking approval for provision of QSC to 100pc population of Islamabad.

According to estimates, there are 220,000 families who have permanent residence of the city as per their computerised national identity cards (CNICs). If approved, each family will get cashless indoor healthcare services up to Rs720,000 in a year.

Officials of the health ministry said the QSC is currently insured with the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan and its tenure was going to expire in December 2021.

They said the government was considering including 100pc population of Islamabad in the programme starting from December this year.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2021