LAHORE - Chairman Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Board of Governors Imran Khan on Saturday said that Pakistanis were ahead of all other nations in giving charity for noble cause.
Addressing a gathering at the Annual Iftar Dinner at SKMCHRC, he said among Muslims in Great Britain, Pakistanis were on the forefront for their generous charities. The dinner was organised to collect Zakat and donations. Over Rs 85 million donations were collected on the event.
Imran Khan said that generous donation of people of Pakistan was the only reason behind a successfully functioning cancer hospital. He pointed out that as the expanses for cancer treatment were increasing, surprisingly people had also heightened their contributions. He also acclaimed medics working in the hospital who made his treatment convenient after he suffered head and back injuries after falling from lifter during election campaign in Lahore.
 “SKCMHRC is not less than a miracle wherein around 75 percent cancer patients are being treated free of cost”, he said.
Across the world, no government hospital is giving such relief to cancer patients, he mentioned. He also announced to donate his plot for the cause.
Chief Executive Officer SKMCHRC Dr Faisal Sultan made the appeal for donations as huge funds were required for establishing Lahore like structure in Peshawar.
He estimated that a hefty amount of Rs3 billion was needed to complete first phase of the project in Peshawar which would be operational by the year of 2015. Center in Peshawar was being established to treat a large number of patients from KPK, FATA and Afghanistan who had to travel to Lahore.  A big project has also been planned in Karachi as well, he added. 
He calculated that SKMCHRC budget has exceeded to Rs. 5.8 billion. Around 50 percent expanses were being met by Zakat and peoples’ contributions, he mentioned.