Islamabad () The Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) has taken a major step toward transforming healthcare in Azad Kashmir by launching a Rs 12 billion project to build a modern 250-bed hospital in Mirpur. The agreement with the construction company was formally signed on Tuesday, marking the beginning of what is being described as one of the region’s most impactful welfare initiatives.
KORT Chairman Chaudhry Akhtar, while addressing the ceremony, said the project is designed to provide completely free medical treatment to nearly 80 percent of the area’s poor and deserving population. He called the initiative “a promise of hope for hundreds of thousands of residents” and highlighted that work on the hospital is planned for completion within the next three years. He also revealed that the Burn Centre under construction in Kotli is close to completion.
The MoU signing ceremony in Islamabad drew notable figures from Pakistan and abroad. Among the attendees were former UK Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, UBG Secretary General Zafar Bakhtawari, and Dr. Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar, alongside many other renowned personalities from various fields.
Baroness Warsi praised overseas Pakistanis for their enduring commitment to their homeland, saying, “Pakistanis living abroad are not strangers — they are emotionally and morally invested in Pakistan’s future.” She lauded the hospital project as a critical development in the country’s health sector and commended Chaudhry Akhtar for his determination and service. She also spoke warmly about Dr. Nigar Johar, calling her an inspiration, and mentioned her own daughter’s service in the Royal Air Force.
Zafar Bakhtawari described KORT and Chaudhry Akhtar as true role models whose contributions can reshape the future of the nation. He praised Baroness Warsi and Dr. Nigar as global symbols of Pakistan’s positive identity and acknowledged the Pakistan Army for its role in enhancing the country’s prestige internationally.
Other speakers, including Altaf Bhatt, Chaudhry Rizwan and Chaudhry Saeed, pledged their full support to the initiative and paid heartfelt tribute to Chaudhry Akhtar for his consistent and selfless humanitarian work.
