The Punjab Assembly has approved the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Bill 2025, despite vocal objections from the opposition benches. The bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and passed during a session chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. All proposed amendments from the opposition were rejected.
The bill proposes the establishment of a 935-bed autonomous cancer treatment institute, named after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The institute will be empowered to acquire, manage, and hold land, but any transfer of government property to it will require formal approval. A Board of Governors, Executive Council, Dean, and expert directors will oversee its operations, with major appointments handled by a special selection board. Funding will be provided through government grants, private donations, and international aid.
During the debate, opposition members criticized the naming of the institute, arguing that it politicizes a public healthcare facility. A PTI member pointed out that their party founder Imran Khan had established three major cancer hospitals without naming them after himself. “Their own businesses don’t carry Nawaz Sharif’s name, but a public hospital does,” one member noted, also referencing online corruption allegations linked to Sharif.
In defense, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique highlighted the lack of advanced cancer treatment in the province and emphasized the need for dedicated care facilities. He also acknowledged Punjab’s financial support to Shaukat Khanum Hospital and revealed plans for a 130-bed bone marrow cancer unit. The government, he added, is consulting international experts to ensure world-class standards.
Following the assembly’s approval, the bill now awaits the Governor’s assent to become law.
