The card will enable every family to avail medical treatment of up to Rs1m per year.

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the distribution of Naya Pakistan Sehat Card for the entire population of Punjab at a ceremony in Lahore on Friday.

The universal health coverage programme will enable each family in the province to avail medical treatment of up to Rs1 million per year at both government and private hospitals.

Addressing the launching ceremony, the premier said that this was a “revolutionary step.”

During his day-long visit to Lahore, the prime minister chaired different meetings on administrative and political affairs, law and order as well as development projects.

Imran Khan attends a ceremony of distribution of the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card in Lahore on Friday. Twitter photo

While addressing the launching ceremony, Imran said that not everyone can take such revolutionary decisions like health cards as the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) did.

"Today, every family in Punjab will get the health card facility. A welfare state is one where everyone has the opportunity for development and prosperity. For the first time in Madinah, the state took responsibility for the weaker segments of the society," he said.

The prime minister said that the model of the welfare state can be seen in today’s Europe but not when it comes to Muslim countries.

Taking a jibe at the mantra of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of making Pakistan an Asian Tiger, he said Asian Tiger is nothing compared to the State of Madina and his government was trying to put Pakistan on a path of prosperity.

He said that now the government will not spend money to build hospitals, rather private sector will build hospitals in rural areas.

"We want everyone in remote areas to have access to health facilities and by March 2022, all families in Punjab will receive health cards.”