Major cities such as Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore are home to hospitals equipped with modern medical technologies, and many doctors and surgeons in these facilities have received international training.
As part of these efforts, the Government of Punjab initiated the development of a 150-bed hospital specializing in kidney transplantation and heart surgery, aiming to position Pakistan as a destination for international medical tourists.
The minister emphasized the expertise of Pakistan's healthcare professionals and the availability of modern facilities, noting that certain surgical procedures could be performed at "less than a tenth of the cost in Europe or the United States.
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs figures, some 90% of Afghans who seek medical treatment abroad travel to neighboring Pakistan.
[6] The majority of Afghan patients are from the poorer strata of society, who have access to free medical treatment in Pakistani government or philanthropic healthcare facilities.
[6] Nearly one-third of all visas issued to Afghan nationals by the Pakistani embassy and consulates in Afghanistan pertain to medical reasons.
[7] The illegal trade is still practiced however, with numerous cases being reported of foreign patients having travelled to Pakistan to get a kidney transplant.
Professor Tipu Sultan from Bahria University has argued that while the government has focused on improving hospital quality in the hope of attracting medical tourists, "terrorism in Pakistan is scaring away potential health customers."