By SKM
January 20, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a significant development for public healthcare in the federal capital, Islamabad-based NGO iFeel (International Foundation for Education Empowerment and Learning), in collaboration with the Matrix Group, has launched plans to establish the first fully free tertiary care hospital for Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The announcement was made at a well-attended on-site ceremony near Chak Shahzad, where the Burney family, owners of Matrix Group, formally donated five acres of prime land for the project. The hospital will be operated on a cashless and paperless model, providing free medical services to underprivileged patients on the lines of the Indus Hospital network.
Senior government officials, former military chiefs, health experts, and community leaders attended the ceremony, including Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri, former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Sohail Aman, former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral (Retd) Asif Sandila, religious scholar Dr. Anis Ahmed, and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Tayyaba Siddiqui, Chairperson of iFeel, and Ms. Mahrin Iqbal Siddiqui, CEO, highlighted iFeel’s 17 years of service in the health and education sectors, particularly for marginalized communities.
Nasim uz Zafar Burney, Chairman of Matrix Group, and Naeem Burney, CEO, said the initiative aims to fill a critical gap in access to quality healthcare for low-income families. They noted that the donated land—located near Chak Shahzad and DHA Margalla Enclave—was selected to ensure ease of access for patients from across the twin cities.
The project will be implemented in three phases, with a Family Clinic scheduled to become operational in 2026, and a 250-bed tertiary care hospital expected to be completed by the end of 2028. The facility will rely entirely on donations, and organizers appealed to philanthropists and citizens to support the cause.
Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri welcomed the initiative and assured full government cooperation, saying such public-private efforts were essential to reduce the burden on state-run hospitals. The ceremony was also addressed by Dr. Anis Ahmed and renowned public health expert Dr. Sameen Siddiqui, former WHO country director for Egypt, Iran, and Jordan.
Participants and representatives of the local community praised the initiative and pledged their support. Mrs. Khurshid Burney, head of the Burney family, thanked attendees for their participation, while Mufti Abdul Salam led a collective prayer for the success of the project at the conclusion of the event. Ends
