ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – NovaCare has issued a clear statement addressing recent media reports and social media claims that misrepresented its Lahore project at CBD NSIT.
The healthcare organisation confirmed that the project is in partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, a UK National Health Service institution, and not with Imperial College London.
On October 18, PML-N posts on X (formerly Twitter), quoting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, claimed Imperial College London would open a campus in Lahore, including a 300-bed hospital with a foundation stone planned for November. Similar statements by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and the Punjab government’s official X account were later deleted.
Imperial College denies campus at Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore
Imperial College London categorically denied these reports, stating all its campuses remain in the UK.
Islamabad project update
NovaCare has been affiliated with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust since March 2024 under the Trust’s International Affiliate Network. This collaboration supports NovaCare’s first 250-bed tertiary hospital in Islamabad, now over 50% complete, with a Q4 2026 opening date. The Trust provides multidisciplinary teams to help establish high clinical standards, with NovaCare being the second global member of this network.
Lahore Academic Medical Centre
For its second project, NovaCare has been allocated land in CBD NSIT Lahore to build an Academic Medical Centre combining healthcare, education, research, and innovation. The Lahore facility is expected to match the Islamabad hospital in scale and quality, integrating cutting-edge technology and benefiting from the government’s developing academic and tech ecosystem. NovaCare remains the exclusive affiliate of the Trust across Pakistan, expanding its nationwide healthcare network.
Institutional clarification
It is essential to differentiate between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which operates five major hospitals in London, and Imperial College London, the academic university. While the two institutions collaborate, the university is not part of the Trust’s International Affiliate Network and has denied any involvement in Pakistan.
CBD confirmation
The Punjab Central Business District department also confirmed the Lahore project is a collaboration between NovaCare and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The initiative is progressing as planned, highlighting both government support and NovaCare’s ongoing efforts to develop world-class healthcare infrastructure in Pakistan.