Musharraf inaugurates expansion project of Fauji Foundation
Pakistan Times National News Desk

RAWALPINDI: President General Pervez Musharraf inaugurated a refurbishment and expansion project of the Fauji Foundation Hospital on Wednesday, praising welfare services of the self-financing Foundation on the golden jubilee of its successful existence.

The President unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of the project that will enhance the capacity of the 600-bed Hospital to a 1200-bed facility in phases.

“The Fauji Foundation is an excellent example of generating funds as a private sector organization and then using these for the welfare activities in key health and education sectors, where its beneficiaries number over 9 million,” he said, while appreciating the fact that the Foundation runs 175 educational and 115 medical facilities.

The hospital will sprawl over 43 acres with inter-connected bocks offering state-of-the-art facilities. It is a referral and teaching hospital, having been affiliated with the Foundation University Medical College.

President Musharraf observed that criticism of the Foundation by some quarters is uncalled for as all of its assets are in the private sector and provides job opportunities to both the families of the retired soldiers and the civilians.

Lauds Creditable Services

“Apart from rendering creditable services across the country over half a century, the Fauji Foundation also remains one of the largest tax-paying organizations in the country,” he said noting that the FF contributed as much as Rs 24 billion in direct taxes, duties and other levies to the national exchequer during the year 2003-04.

The President noted with satisfaction that the Foundation does not receive donations. “The welfare activity of the Foundation has a tremendous impact on the morale of the armed forces and I salute all those who envisioned and sustained the organization and those who are now running it efficiently,” he said. He lauded the fact that the Fund awards education stipends worth Rs 100 million each year.

The President was briefed about the planned expansion and existing facilities at the hospital.

Managing Director of Fauji Foundation, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Muhammad Amjad informed the ceremony that the Fund operates in the private sector, purchases land from the market and deals with banks on commercial basis.

The expansion of the hospital, he said, has been designed after consultation with heads of departments to offer best possible facilities to patients. Currently, over 1300 patients avail of medical facilities at the hospital every day.

Chairman Senate Muhammadmian Soomro, Federal Ministers, Secretary Defence, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Shahid Karimullah, Vice Chief of the Army Staff General Ahsan Saleem Hyat attended the ceremony.●