PESHAWAR – A fresh misinformation controversy erupted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after provincial government dismissed viral claims about the possible closure of Sehat Card Plus programme and the alleged removal of Dr Nousherwan Burki from a key healthcare position.
In a statement, Adviser for Information and Broadcasting Samar Haroon Bilour rejected social media statement linked to retired Lieutenant General Nigar Johar Khan, who is serving as health adviser to new provincial administration under Emergency and Governor’s Rule.
The viral claim suggested that discontinuing Sehat Card programme or launching an investigation into it was among her top priorities. The government however called it FAKE and part of propaganda campaign, clarifying that no official decision to discontinue the healthcare programme had been announced.
FAKE NOTIFICATION
Authorities also rejected a notification circulating online that allegedly ordered the immediate removal of Professor Dr Nousherwan Burki as chairman of the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Policy Board.
The purported document, dated October 12 and carrying reference number SO(H)/1523/2026, was declared fake, according to the information provided by the provincial government.
The controversy has drawn attention to the future of the Sehat Card Plus programme, a flagship healthcare initiative introduced during the PTI government’s tenure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The programme helped millions of people access medical treatment without paying the full cost out of pocket, with billions of rupees spent on healthcare services under the initiative.
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However, its financial management has remained a subject of debate, with questions raised over payments to hospitals, alleged misuse at private healthcare facilities and demands for independent audits. Some journalists and social media users urged the newly formed advisory council to examine the programme’s finances alongside those of Medical Teaching Institutions.
The second disputed claim concerns Dr Nousherwan Burki, a prominent figure associated with healthcare reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Burki played a key role in developing the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015 and previously served as chairman of the Board of Governors at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
His role in the province’s healthcare administration has been controversial, with past disputes over his appointment and removal. The caretaker government removed him in 2023, prompting legal challenges, before he subsequently resumed a role in the healthcare system. He has also faced criticism and allegations concerning financial priorities at MTI hospitals and remote management practices.
The controversy comes amid heightened political tensions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the reported imposition of emergency measures or Governor’s Rule under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.
The federal government has formed an 11-member technocratic advisory council to assist Governor Faisal Karim Kundi in running provincial affairs.
Retired Lieutenant General Nigar Johar Khan has been assigned responsibility for health. She became the Pakistan Army’s first female three-star general in 2020 and previously served as surgeon general, bringing experience in military medical services, hospital administration and emergency management.
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