Federica Imperiali, director, Forevermark Design and Innovation Centre in Milan speaks about why diamonds will continue to be at the heart of Indian weddings.
Federica Imperiali (left) and a model (right) wearing a necklace from the Forevermark Icon collection at the Mumbai flagship store launch.
The Mumbai launch of the Forevermark Diamond Jewellery flagship store by De Beers Group transformed into a sparkling runway when models showcased versatile everyday diamond jewellery styles and high jewellery designs across rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
“Today, jewellery is positioned as an everyday luxury, versatile, modern and deeply personal, rather than something reserved for special occasions. The Mumbai store launch embodies this transformation, creating a space where consumers can experience the collection in an environment able to bring to life the entire brand experience in every single touchpoint,” says Federica Imperiali, director of the Forevermark Design and Innovation Centre in Milan, who was present at the launch.
(L-R) Diana Penty, Manu Bhaker, Sandrine Conseiller (De Beers Group) Shweta Harit (Forevermark), Masaba Gupta and Princess Gauravi Kumari at the Mumbai store launch.
Celebrating Icons
The Mumbai launch was accompanied by the ‘My Guiding Light’ campaign, which celebrated four iconic women comprising Manu Bhaker, professional shooter and double Olympic medallist; Diana Penty, actor; Masaba Gupta, designer, actor, entrepreneur; and Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur, social entrepreneur.
Speaking about the campaign built around strong and empowering Indian women who have achieved global recognition, Federica Imperiali expresses, “The story behind the My Guiding Light campaign is deeply connected to the idea of self-discovery and empowerment. It celebrates strong and inspiring Indian women who have achieved global recognition, positioning them as modern icons who guide others through their journeys. The payoff ‘This one’s for me’ reinforces this message by highlighting jewellery as an intimate choice, something that reflects who she is and what she stands for.”
Inspired by the North Star, the Forevermark Icon collection is the celebration of a woman’s journey, her choices and her unwavering sense of self.
Let’s Talk Diamonds
Inspired by the North Star, a powerful symbol of self-worth, individuality and personal direction, the Forevermark Icon collection is the celebration of a woman’s journey, her choices and her unwavering sense of self.
“The Icon Collection represents our signature statement, and its redesign was focused on striking the perfect balance between evolution and heritage. We wanted to give it a sharper, more contemporary design language while preserving its emotional core, inspired by the North Star, a powerful symbol of self-worth, individuality and personal direction. This reimagining reflects Forevermark’s broader vision of shifting the narrative of diamond jewellery from legacy to individuality,” shares Federica Imperiali.
The Modern Indian Bride
Diamonds will continue to be at the heart of Indian weddings but what does the modern Indian bride truly want? “The modern Indian bride is looking for more than just opulence,” expresses Federica Imperiali, adding, “She wants jewellery that reflects her individuality and can be worn not only during celebrations but also in everyday life. This means versatile designs, contemporary aesthetics and pieces that carry emotional significance. In addition, self-purchase and everyday luxury are on the rise, with women choosing diamonds to celebrate personal milestones, not just matrimonial ones.”
First Published:
January 16, 2026, 18:41 IST
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Renee Nicole Good, the woman fatally shot by a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer last week, was found with four gunshot wounds, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported, citing a fire department incident report.
Good, 37, suffered two gunshot wounds to the right side of her chest, one to her left forearm and one “with protruding tissue on the left side of the patient’s head,” according to the report by the Minneapolis Fire Department. Blood was also flowing from her left ear, the report said.
Initial reports indicated Good had been shot three times during the Jan. 7 incident.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the ICE officer fired in self-defense after Good used her Honda Pilot SUV in a way that posed a threat. DHS said video showed Good interfering with ICE officers by parking her vehicle in the roadway in an apparent attempt to block federal vehicles.
Police tape surrounds a vehicle involved in a shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
When another agent asked her to get out of her car, DHS said Good accelerated in the direction of Ross, prompting the officer to open fire.
Paramedics found Good unresponsive inside her car at 9:42 a.m., with blood on her face and torso, according to the report. She was not breathing, and her pulse was described as “inconsistent” and “irregular.”
Emergency responders moved Good from her vehicle to a snowbank and then onto a sidewalk to create “separation from an escalating scene involving law enforcement and bystanders,” according to the report.
Renee Nicole Good moments before she was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis. (Obtained by Fox News)
At that point, Good was “still not breathing and pulseless,” the report said.
Lifesaving efforts continued at the scene, inside an ambulance and later at Hennepin County Medical Center. CPR was discontinued at the hospital at 10:30 a.m., according to the report.
The ICE officer suffered internal bleeding to his torso when he was struck by her vehicle, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday. The extent of the bleeding was not immediately clear.
The incident has sparked heated debate across the country and sparked several violent attacks on immigration enforcement agents.
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Portrait of Renee Nicole Good.(ODU English Department/Facebook)
Meanwhile, Good’s family is now being represented by the Chicago-based law firm Romanucci & Blandin, which also represented George Floyd’s family. The firm said its founding partner, Antonio M. Romanucci, is representing Good’s partner, Becca Good, as well as her parents and siblings.
The firm helped secure a $27 million settlement for Floyd’s family in a civil case against the City of Minneapolis, the largest pretrial civil rights wrongful-death settlement in U.S. history at the time.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.
Sophie Turner triggers mixed reaction with ‘Tomb Raider’ reveal
Sophie Turner, actress who is best known for her role in Game of Thrones, has stepped into the iconic role of Lara Croft for upcoming Tomb Raider series on Prime Video.
Amazon MGM Studios recently released first image from the series to mark the start of filming and it quickly sparked buzz online, getting mix reactions debate among fans.
Sophie leads the big cast that includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs, Martin Bobb-Semple, Jack Bannon, John Heffernan, Bill Paterson, Paterson Joseph, Sasha Luss, Juliette Motamed, Celia Imrie and August Wittgenstein.
In the show, Lara Croft travels the world on thrilling adventures, solving puzzles and seeking treasures just like in the games.
However, fans shared their different reactions to the first look, with one saying: “It’s giving Halloween shoot sorry,” while other penned, “Go girl give us nothing.”
Another echoed, “Sorry, but Angelina Jolie is and always will be my Lara.”
They appeared to be unsure about her styling if Sophie looked tough enough, while others praised the costume and thought tat it stayed true to the games.
For the unversed, Tomb Raider is created, written and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who co-showruns with Chad Hodge.
Where Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner stand after PDA filled appearance
Timothée Chalamet not only brought his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, to the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards, but also thanked her in his acceptance speeches.
Fans have been gushing over Timothee and Kylie’s PDA and loving dynamic at both the awards ceremonies.
The Marty Supreme star won the Best Actor award at both the major awards and expressed gratitude for Kylie’s support in the three years they’ve been together.
Body language expert Darren Stanton spoke to The Mirror about what he observed in the actor’s mannerisms on the occasions.
According to Stanton, the Wonka star deliberately mentioned Kylie in his speech to signal that he’s serious with her. He added that the couple seems to be in the settled phase of their relationship.
Timothee and Kylie didn’t shy away from PDA, kissing several times during their outing. According to Stanton, they seemed secure and grounded and have moved on from the honeymoon phase.
The expert believes that the reality star has provided stabilityto the actor as he worked on big movies like A Complete Unknown, in which he played Bob Dylan, and Marty Supreme, in which he plays table tennis star Marty Mauser.
Stanton also noted that Timothee seemed confident and emotionally grounded during his acceptance speech. Kylie, on the other hand, seemed overwhelmed when her beau won and also mouthed “I love you.”
Harbour security men stand guard at Shahid Beheshti Port in the southeastern Iranian coastal city of Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman. — AFP/File
New Delhi incurs $120m losses after exiting port development deal.
Congress leader terms move “a new low” in India’s foreign policy.
Experts say actions raise concerns about India’s role at Chabahar.
The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has come under heavy fire at home after it withdrew from the Chabahar port agreement with Iran, with critics arguing the move was a strategic retreat rather than a proactive foreign policy decision.
New Delhi was forced to abandon its involvement in the port after the United States imposed a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Tehran, The Economic Times reported on Thursday.
According to the publication, India’s withdrawal was carried out without any formal announcement, resulting in the loss of $120 million already paid to Iran.
The amount had been transferred before the decision to disengage and is now considered unrecoverable, the report stated.
The state-run company working at the port, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), saw its board of directors submit collective resignations after the decision, while the company’s official website has also been shut down.
Congress party leader Pawan Khera termed the move “a new low” in the Modi-led government’s foreign policy.
“So the question is not of Chabahar Port or of Russian oil. The question is: Why is Modi allowing USA to arm-twist India?” he asked in an X post.
India assumed responsibility in 2024 for developing Chabahar port under a 10-year arrangement with Iran.
Meanwhile, a foreign journal reported that the $120 million already paid to Iran can now be used by it at its discretion for the port’s construction and development.
Observers described India’s withdrawal from Chabahar port as another major setback for New Delhi.
The Congress party sharply criticised the Modi-led government over the decision, saying the Indian prime minister “has once again surrendered to Trump”.
“$120 million of India’s taxpayers’ money was invested by the Modi government in this strategically important project, but now it’s all gone up in smoke,” read a post on the party’s X handle.
The Indian opposition party recalled Modi hailing the agreement as “a major strategic win”, saying India’s control over the port has been relinquished, with complete silence from the government.
“Unfortunately, Modi has bowed before Trump’s pressure and compromised India’s national interest,” the party stated.
Meanwhile, economic affairs experts believe the latest actions reinforced concerns surrounding India’s role at Chabahar.
They voiced concerns that India was using the port for nefarious objectives, saying that IPGL’s conduct suggested it was created primarily to acquire control of Chabahar.
Ashley St Clair is a conservative influencer and author
Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, has sued his company xAI over sexualised deepfakes of her created on social media platform X.
The lawsuit filed in New York on Thursday alleges the Grok AI tool created sexually explicit pictures of St Clair.
The parent company of X and Grok, xAI, has counter-sued St Clair for violating its terms of service.
X did not respond directly to BBC News’s enquiries about the lawsuits.
“We intend to hold Grok accountable and to help establish clear legal boundaries for the entire public’s benefit to prevent AI from being weaponised for abuse,” St Clair’s lawyer Carrie Goldberg told BBC News.
“By manufacturing nonconsensual sexually explicit images of girls and women, xAI is a public nuisance and a not reasonably safe product,” Goldberg added.
St Clair’s court filing alleges: “X users dug up photos of St Clair fully clothed at 14 years old and requested Grok undress her and put her in a bikini. Grok obliged”.
It says the imagery created of St Clair was “de facto non-consensual” but Grok’s developers also had “explicit knowledge” of her lack of consent.
It also claims Grok generated an image which put St Clair, who is Jewish, “in a string bikini covered with swastikas”.
In response to her complaints, the filing says, the company “retaliated against her, demonetizing her X account and generating multitudes more images of her”.
Some X premium users, who pay a monthly fee, can receive a share of advertising revenue gained from posts which receive a lot of engagement.
In a counter-suit, xAI said that St Clair had violated their terms of service by filing her lawsuit in New York.
The company’s terms say disputes with xAI must be brought in Texas.
Goldberg told BBC News the company’s counter-suit was “jolting”.
“I have never heard of any defendant suing somebody for notifying them of their intention to use the legal system,” she said.
“And their mistreatment of her online is mimicked in their legal strategy.”
She added St Clair would be “vigorously defending” her case in New York and that “any jurisdiction will recognise” the grievance.
It was revealed by St Clair in an X post last year that she had given birth to the tech billionaire’s child – one of at least 13 he is believed to have fathered.
St Clair and Musk are thought to be engaged in a custody battle over their child.
Continuing scrutiny
X came under intense scrutiny from users, politicians and regulators worldwide over Grok being used to make non-consensual sexualised imagery of people.
Users had been able to tag the Grok account in posts or replies to posts on the platform and ask it to edit images to undress people.
Grok complied with many such requests to produce photo-realistic images of real women in bikinis and revealing clothing – with reports it also produced sexualised images of children.
On Wednesday, before her court filing, St Clair told BBC Newsnight her image had been “stripped” to appear “basically nude, bent over” despite her telling Grok she did not consent to the sexualised images.
She, and other women whose images were edited using Grok, had said the site was not doing enough to tackle illegal content, including child sexual abuse imagery.
The company said on Wednesday that all X users would no longer be able to edit photos of real people to show them in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal.
It later updated its post to say it would implement “similar geoblocking measures for the Grok app”, which is separate to X.
On Friday, The Guardian reported that it was still possible to use the standalone Grok app to generate sexualised deepfakes of real people and post them on X “without any sign of it being moderated”.
The UK government is bringing into force a law which will make it illegal to create non-consensual intimate images, and regulator Ofcom is still probing whether X broke existing UK laws.
Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.
WACO, TEXAS — THE MOST polarizing pickup in men’s college basketball history started with a wild idea.
On an October networking trip to Baylor, Deirunas Visockas — a former Boston College reserve turned agent — learned the Bears were struggling with injuries and needed a big man. He happened to represent a player who fit the bill and was in search of an opportunity to reboot his career.
“I said, ‘What about James Nnaji, if we could explore that route? Would you guys be interested?'” Visockas told ESPN. “And here we are now.”
That chance encounter started a domino effect that made Nnaji — the No. 31 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and the first drafted men’s basketball player to be cleared by the NCAA — the face of the season’s biggest controversy. Baylor’s Christmas Eve announcement of his signing sparked immediate criticism from legendary coaches such as Tom Izzo and John Calipari. Opposing fans booed his debut at TCU. And the condemnation rippled through social media, where he opened his recently reactivated Instagram account to a wave of digital hate mail.
“I was getting a lot of insults and cuss words from people — like really, really, really rude things coming towards me,” Nnaji said. “I was like, ‘But what did I do, man?’ I’m as young as everybody in here.”
Nnaji didn’t anticipate his decision would spark a nationwide debate about who should be allowed to play college basketball. Before landing in Texas, the 7-footer from Nigeria played professionally in Europe. After he was drafted, he had a short stints with the NBA during summer league but never signed an actual NBA contract. Still within the five-year window of what would have been his high school graduation, that all meant Nnaji met the NCAA’s eligibility requirements.
As the college sports landscape continues to evolve, teams are seeking every advantage they can find — including within the gray area of what constitutes a professional and an amateur basketball player. Months before Nnaji joined Baylor, two G League players were signed by Division I teams, and former European pros can be found throughout the college ranks. Though some coaches blasted the midseason timing of Nnaji’s addition to Baylor’s roster, the Bears believed they were just ahead of the pack.
“You have two choices: one, partake, or two, you’ll be left behind,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said. “And when it came out that you could recruit G League players, I was against it at first. I didn’t want to do it, but we don’t make the rules. If they say you can drive 80, you’re going to drive 80. If you drive 70, you’re going to get passed.”
Nnaji became a lightning rod because of an idea he represents — that physically dominant, elite talents with NBA experience could be cleared to play college basketball, creating a competitive imbalance in the sport. But the reality is Nnaji is 21 years old and still recovering from back surgery, looking for a second chance with a Baylor team that started Big 12 play 0-3.
“OK, I got drafted, but I know many people that we played against in Europe and they’re all here living the same life. So why am I getting so much hate from the people?” said Nnaji, who is averaging 2.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. “I didn’t do anything illegal. I didn’t try to break any rule.”
NNAJI DIDN’T start playing basketball until he was 12.
Already 6-7 and wearing size 13 sneakers, Nnaji towered over a crowd outside his mother’s shop in Makurdi, Nigeria, when a former professional soccer player suggested she introduce her son to basketball. Nnaji went to the gym that day and fell in love with the sport. He developed quickly with his newfound combination of size and explosiveness, and posted a mixtape to Facebook in 2018 that caught the eye of a professional league in Hungary. Months later — only two years after touching a basketball for the first time — Nnaji left for Europe on the first flight of his life.
“We didn’t even know the road to get to the airport,” he said.
In Hungary, he was surrounded by players with more experience. He even asked his coach, “Why are we running plays?” The structured system was unfamiliar to him, as was a community that spoke a language he did not understand. When he fell off a bed that was too small during his first week abroad, he thought about going home.
“I was like, ‘This is the only opportunity for you to bring your family up from what they’re going through,'” he said. “So I just had to be strong.”
His decision to stay in Hungary changed his life. He grew more comfortable with teammates who would become lifelong friends and embraced the transition. He also began to dominate his peers, an improvement that compelled FC Barcelona — one of the top EuroLeague teams — to sign him at 16 years old. Three years later, he entered the 2023 NBA draft, two months shy of his 19th birthday. That June night in Brooklyn, he was picked by the Detroit Pistons then traded to the Charlotte Hornets, a team that had five players who were 6-9 or taller — and had no opening for him on its roster.
International prospects such as Nnaji, whose rights were traded to the New York Knicks in the following year’s Karl-Anthony Towns trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, are often called “draft and stash players.” The teams that pick them don’t necessarily have any grand plans for them, so they let them go back to Europe. And if they develop down the line, teams can choose to sign them.
That future never happened for Nnaji. He returned to FC Barcelona after the draft, and the closest he got to the NBA was two stints in summer league in 2023 and 2025. A lingering back injury eventually sidelined him and required surgery in June 2024. Following a lengthy rehab process, he reaggravated the injury during summer league in 2025 and needed another six months to recover. Then in August, he and FC Barcelona mutually agreed to part ways.
By the time Nnaji landed on Baylor’s radar in the fall, he was living in Spain. He had lived in four countries in pursuit of his basketball dreams and hadn’t been home to Nigeria since he was 12. He also wasn’t even healthy enough to play 5-on-5 yet.
He yearned for the clean slate that Baylor could offer.
“I was just coming back from my rehabilitation in the afternoon and I got a call from my agent and he told me, ‘Would you like to go to college?'” he said. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, I just want to play basketball and grow because I’ve been in hell for the past two years. I want something new, something like a fresh start for myself — just to get back on track.'”
WHEN NNAJI’S SIGNING was announced by Baylor in late December, Izzo led the chorus of criticism: “Shame on the NCAA,” he told reporters. Calipari suggested that “guys that are 28 years old, guys from Europe” were sneaking into the college basketball landscape. And Dan Hurley tweeted, “Santa Claus is delivering mid season acquisitions…this s*** is crazy!!”
Of course, months before Nnaji’s signing, Louisville (London Johnson) and Santa Clara (Thierry Darlan) had already signed players with G League experience — more additions Izzo spoke out against at the time.
“I’m not real excited about the NCAA or whoever is making these decisions, without talking to us, just letting it go,” Izzo said in October. “They’re afraid they’re going to get sued.”
Izzo’s comments underscore the fear he shares with some of his peers — that the NCAA might not have the power to stop a young NBA or two-way player who wants to cash in on an NIL deal and return to college basketball.
Division I rules state that any professional player who has received more than “actual and necessary expenses” — a category that includes health insurance, meals, lodging and transportation — cannot play college basketball. But there is plenty of debate over what number crosses that threshold, especially with the NCAA recently welcoming European pros who made six figures or more overseas.
For years, players seeking the highest compensation option had to look outside of college basketball. But the dawn of the NIL and revenue sharing era has changed that. Now, college basketball programs can sometimes offer more cash than any league outside of the NBA. A G League player’s average salary is just north of $40,000 while the average EuroLeague player reportedly earns a salary between $500,000 and $800,000. There are Division I players making more than all of those salaries combined this season.
With convoluted rules and a large pot of cash available to top talents, more professional players could be incentivized to challenge current NCAA rules.
“I think an NBA player [or a player on a two-way contract] would have a good legal argument that he should be granted eligibility,” said Mit Winter, an NIL attorney and former Division I basketball player. “How can you differentiate between European pros playing in the top European leagues and players who are playing in the NBA — other than the NBA guys might be better basketball players?”
In the wake of Nnaji’s signing, NCAA president Charlie Baker clarified that NBA and two-way players would not be cleared to play college basketball. But it wasn’t that long ago that players weren’t allowed to be paid, then the courts ruled against the NCAA. They could theoretically do it again if a case is brought to their doorstep.
The fire and fury spurred by fear of this potential all landed on Nnaji’s head. Yes, the Knicks — who still hold his NBA rights — could theoretically call him up at any point. But for Nnaji, signing with Baylor was simply a path back to basketball. He had no idea his goal of getting back on the court would make him a target of resentment.
“We expected the outrage because it’s a big deal for a former NBA draft pick to go to college,” said Visockas, Nnaji’s agent. “But we didn’t expect it to be to this extent.”
STILL GRAPPLING with life on an American college campus, Nnaji doesn’t have any furniture in his apartment yet. He touched down in Waco in late December but is still afraid to walk the streets for fear he’ll accidentally end up on a highway. His first mission was just to find a good place to eat.
“I like all the rice and the beans and the meat and all of this stuff. I really like it,” Nnaji said as he rubbed his fingers together to highlight the new delicacy he’d recently discovered. “I’ve forgotten the name of the place. Oh yeah. Chipotle.”
Fast-casual loyalty established, Nnaji turned his attention to the court.
Just 72 hours after he arrived, Nnaji played in his first college game, scoring five points in 17 minutes at TCU. Every time he touched the ball, fans booed him. One opposing player apparently told him, “You don’t belong here.”
In Europe, he played games in Belgrade, Serbia, where fans lit fires and police officers held shields over opposing players so they wouldn’t get hit with objects thrown from the stands. Nnaji said those experiences prepared him for hostility — but he said he’d never endured the level of anger he faced at TCU.
“The only problem was that this time it was coming directly at me,” he said in comparison to hostile games in Europe.
Nnaji, who was cleared to resume workouts in early December, is still doing what he can to get back into shape. At a recent practice, whenever he wasn’t in drills and walkthroughs, he was on a stationary bike, sweating until he was called back to the court. Baylor coaches were constantly in his ear teaching him the abbreviated version of the offense.
He’s determined to learn. After his team’s loss to Iowa State last week, he walked into the weight room and told Baylor strength coach Charlie Melton: “I need to get stronger.” They immediately commenced a late-night squat workout.
Along with the learning curve on the court, he’s also doing his best to fit in with his teammates. He leans forward and mimics their pregame shoulder-bumps now. The team sushi nights also help with camaraderie. They’ve welcomed him, not judged him. On the day he arrived, he played a game called “hot seat,” in which he had to sit in a chair and answer lighthearted questions in front of the team.
“One of the questions was, ‘What would you want your teammates to do for you to make you more comfortable with the team?'” senior guard Dan Skillings Jr. said. “And he said, ‘Just talk to me.’ And that’s really super real and super simple because … I feel like everybody that comes in the middle of the season and they’re about to play a game, I would want my teammates to talk to me as well.”
Nnaji has been scrutinized more for what he represents than who he actually is. He’s not a contender for any national awards or a threat to tip the scales in Baylor’s favor. He’s just a young player with big dreams in a new city.
“Let’s be human first before the sport,” he said. “Let’s be human. But at the end of the day, the controversy doesn’t bother me because I’m here to do my job, to help the team as much as I can, and to get better.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presents symbolic health card to resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to mark launch of PM’s Health Card scheme, Islamabad, January 16, 2026. — X/@PTVNewsOfficial
Health Card extended to ICT, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
PM vows transparent implementation via third-party monitoring.
Around 70 hospitals to be empanelled nationwide.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday revived and extended the Health Card programme to Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare as a fundamental right for every citizen, regardless of social or economic status.
Addressing the ceremony, the premier said the initiative marked another major step towards delivering healthcare facilities at people’s doorsteps.
Recalling the launch of the scheme in 2016 under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he said the programme was later expanded rapidly across provinces. He stressed that nothing was more valuable in life than health.
“If there is health, there is education; if there is health, there is dignified employment; if there is health, there is progress in every field of life,” he remarked.
PM Shehbaz said while affluent segments of society could afford expensive treatment anywhere in the world, the real test of the state lay in protecting the poor, widows, orphans and daily wage earners who struggled to make ends meet.
“If a labourer falls ill and leaves this world without treatment, his children are left in permanent darkness. Healthcare is the right of every Pakistani — whether a prime minister or a street vendor,” he said.
Congratulating Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, the secretary health and their entire team, the prime minister urged transparent implementation through third-party monitoring to ensure treatment was provided at the right facilities and with appropriate standards.
He expressed confidence that honest execution of the programme would not only serve the people but also bring reward in this world and the hereafter.
Expressing hope for swift and effective implementation, the prime minister said the programme would be personally monitored through visits and inspections in collaboration with Islamabad’s health leadership, parliamentarians, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan and the premier of AJK.
Responding to a demand to extend the programme to Sindh, he termed the proposal valid and assured that he would personally take up the matter with the chief minister of Sindh.
He noted that the programme was progressing rapidly in Punjab, with billions of rupees being spent on healthcare, and congratulated the Punjab government on its efforts. He added that while other provinces had their own health initiatives, efforts would be made to ensure similar facilities nationwide.
Earlier, Mustafa Kamal said the revived programme would provide free, cashless healthcare to nearly 10 million residents of Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said the programme ensured citizens could receive treatment without worrying about affordability during moments of pain and distress.
Sharing operational details, Kamal said around 70 hospitals were being empanelled under the Prime Minister’s Health Card across Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, including 20 additional hospitals in Islamabad alone.
He added that cardholders from these regions living in Karachi would also be able to access treatment at 16 designated hospitals in the city.
He noted that Sindh remained the only province where the Prime Minister’s Health Card was not yet operational, while Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and the federal territories were already covered.
Referring to earlier proposals, he said a plan covering 10 rural and urban districts of Sindh at an estimated cost of Rs24 billion had been prepared.
“If funding is provided for just two years, the programme can become self-sustaining from the third year onward,” he said, expressing hope that healthcare deprivation in Sindh could also be addressed.
