Rawalpindi, October 18, 2026: Residents of Lalkurti have protested against the possible closure of a historic pre-partition dispensary, urging the Defence Minister, Defence Secretary and Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments (DG MLC) to intervene and protect the public healthcare facility.
A delegation comprising prominent local residents, including Haji Jamil, Haji Shabbir, Khan Akhlaq, Arshad Qureshi and Mirza Ghulam Mustafa, met Malik Ibrar Ahmad, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Division, and briefed him on the situation.
The delegation said the dispensary was established before the partition of the subcontinent and was later shifted to its present premises by the Cantonment Board. Through the efforts of the Regional Director and MLC Headquarters, an advanced laboratory was established and modern diagnostic equipment provided at the facility.
According to the delegation, hundreds of underprivileged and low-income patients from Lalkurti and neighbouring localities visit the dispensary daily for medical treatment and diagnostic services, which they cannot easily afford at private healthcare facilities.
The residents warned that the closure of the operational medical centre would deprive thousands of people of access to essential healthcare services and called on the authorities to ensure its continued operation.
Expressing concern over the reported possibility of closure, Malik Ibrar Ahmad said providing healthcare facilities to citizens was a fundamental responsibility of the Cantonment Board. He questioned the rationale behind decisions that could adversely affect vulnerable communities and deprive residents of essential public services.
Malik Ibrar Ahmad assured the delegation that he would raise the matter at all relevant forums, including the National Assembly, the standing committee, the Defence Secretary and the DG MLC. He said the public would not be deprived of the vital historic healthcare facility.
Meanwhile, efforts were made to obtain the official position of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board through its spokesperson, Imran Habib, but no response was received.
