Islamabad may soon get a much-needed boost to its strained healthcare system, as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Aga Khan University (AKU) move into advanced discussions over setting up a state-of-the-art teaching and tertiary care hospital in the federal capital.
While CDA has not officially announced the final location, officials familiar with the matter say the hospital is likely to be built in Chak Shahzad, on a 40-acre site near the National Institute of Health (NIH). The area is already emerging as a health and research hub, making it a natural fit for a major teaching hospital.
Interestingly, CDA had earlier offered land to AKU in Sector I-12, but the university declined, considering the NIH-adjacent site more suitable for a full-scale teaching and research-focused facility. This reflects AKU’s preference for a health cluster environment, where hospitals, labs, and research institutions can work side by side.
One of the major meeting took place on Saturday at CDA headquarters between CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa and Aziz Jan, Chief of Facilities and Administrative Services at Aga Khan University.
As per an official press release, both sides discussed the framework for establishing the new hospital, which is envisioned as a modern, high-capacity teaching hospital serving Islamabad and patients from across Pakistan.
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Randhawa assured AKU of CDA’s full support, saying the project would be a “significant milestone” for Islamabad’s healthcare, research, and medical education landscape. He stressed that such a facility would not only treat patients but also train future
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Specialists
The timing is critical. Major public hospitals like Pims, already overburdened and receiving emergency cases from all over the country, have reportedly started referring emergency patients elsewhere due to lack of beds. In this context, a new tertiary care hospital backed by AKU’s reputation for quality and discipline could ease enormous pressure on the system.
AKU’s representative, Aziz Jan, said the proposed teaching hospital would provide high-quality medical care and modern facilities to patients. Beyond the new hospital, CDA and AKU also discussed collaboration to upgrade CDA Hospital facilities and improve healthcare services for CDA employees and their families.
Mohammed Ali further expressed interest in partnering with Aga Khan University to enhance educational facilities run under CDA’s administration, pointing to a broader vision where health and education reforms go hand in hand.
If finalised and executed as planned, the project is expected to reshape Islamabad’s healthcare landscape — offering residents better access to treatment
- Improving medical training
- Reinforcing the capital’s status as a centre for advanced health services and research