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Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, has filed an appeal in the Constitutional Court seeking the suspension of her sentence and release on bail. In her petition, she requested the court to suspend the sentence handed down by the trial court until the final decision on her appeal. She argued that she should be granted bail on medical grounds. The petition stated that Bushra Bibi is entitled to relief because she is a woman and is suffering from health problems. It maintained that her medical condition requires proper treatment and care, making her eligible for bail during the legal proceedings. According to the appeal, she has been kept in solitary confinement and has been deprived of adequate medical treatment and necessary care while in custody. The petition argued that her continued detention under such conditions has negatively affected her health. Bushra Bibi urged the Constitutional Court to consider her health condition and the circumstances of her imprisonment while deciding her request. She asked the court to suspend her sentence and order her release on bail until the disposal of the appeal. The Constitutional Court is expected to take up the appeal in accordance with legal procedure. A decision on her request will be made after hearing the arguments presented by both sides.

The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) is accelerating plans to establish Pakistan’s first luxury medical tourism model centre in Islamabad, with the aim of capturing a greater share of the rapidly growing global medical tourism market. Pakistan is seeking to benefit from the global medical tourism industry, estimated to be worth around $144 billion, while the country currently accounts for only about 0.5% of the market. The initiative gained momentum after plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr Muhammad Salman Khan approached the SIFC Secretariat seeking up to 25,000 square feet of land or a built-up facility for a five-star luxury medical centre with room for future expansion. In his proposal, Dr Khan said cosmetic surgery and dentistry together account for around 35% of global medical tourism activity. He argued that Pakistani specialists can provide international-standard services at significantly lower costs than those charged in countries such as Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom. The SIFC subsequently convened a high-level meeting at its secretariat on August 5. Representatives from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Jinnah Medical Complex and medical professionals participated in the meeting. According to the meeting minutes, Dr Salman presented a phased plan for the project. The initiative would initially introduce premium “Med Suites” in Islamabad, followed by a dedicated medical tourism centre and eventually the development of a comprehensive Islamabad Medical City. Participants identified several advantages that could help Pakistan compete in the international medical tourism sector. These include significantly lower treatment costs, a large pool of qualified medical specialists and a sizeable overseas Pakistani community that could form an initial customer base for the proposed services. The meeting also highlighted the distinction between aesthetic tourism and broader medical tourism. Officials agreed that establishing a dedicated luxury aesthetic tourism centre in the federal capital could help create the foundation for a new high-value industry. The proposed facility could attract thousands of international patients to Pakistan and generate valuable foreign exchange for the country. Islamabad was considered a suitable location because of its relatively secure environment, scenic surroundings and high-quality residential infrastructure. The proposed model would combine specialised medical services with a five-star hospitality experience for patients and their accompanying family members. The meeting concluded with several directives to move the proposal forward. The CDA was asked to arrange a follow-up meeting within a week involving Dr Salman Khan, the CDA chairman and other relevant stakeholders to examine the proposal in detail. Medical experts were also directed to prepare a comprehensive investment, commercial and financial feasibility study for the proposed project at the Jinnah Medical Complex. Separately, the SIFC was asked to arrange meetings between leading medical specialists and representatives of major five-star hotels in Islamabad. The discussions will assess commercial interest and examine the practical feasibility of developing dedicated medical tourism facilities. The project has now entered an initial implementation phase, with several government institutions involved in evaluating the proposal.

The restoration of the historic chandelier at Mazar-e-Quaid and measures to improve facilities for visitors were discussed at a meeting of the Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board on Thursday. Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture and board chairman Aurangzeb Khan Khichi chaired the 102nd meeting, where officials reviewed several proposals concerning the preservation and management of the national monument. The meeting examined a proposal to restore the historic chandelier and subsequently shift it to the National Museum. Officials also discussed plans to introduce a shuttle service at Bagh-e-Quaid to provide visitors with easier access to the mausoleum. Khichi directed the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) to approach the restoration project as a matter of national heritage and service rather than treating it purely as a commercial undertaking. He said the historic chandelier had been removed from its original position in 2016. Its restoration has since faced repeated delays because of financial and administrative issues associated with the proposed project. The minister stressed the importance of preserving historical artefacts associated with the country’s founder and called for efforts to ensure that the restoration work moved forward without further unnecessary delays. The meeting also reviewed ways to improve the experience of people visiting Bagh-e-Quaid and the mausoleum. The proposed shuttle service is aimed at making transportation within the premises more convenient, particularly for visitors who may face difficulties covering the distance on foot. Khichi also acknowledged the cooperation extended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to the Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board. He said the provincial government’s support had contributed to the maintenance of Mazar-e-Quaid and helped the board manage its affairs in Karachi. The discussions underscored the need to protect the country’s historic heritage while upgrading facilities at one of Pakistan’s most important national landmarks.