ISLAMABAD - The government has shelved the billions worth project of constructing 16-storey medical tower at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), considering it a plan for the rich and not the poor, TheNation learnt here on Tuesday. Terming the construction of PIMS 16-storey medical tower as a rich-oriented project, the Federal Health Ministry has decided to cancel it, said an official of the ministry requesting anonymity. The medical tower, which was supposed to be a multi-storey building and with two basements but is no more in future plans. Now instead of constructing the medical tower, the ministry has decided to spend the money for completion of many isolated projects of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. The ministry is also planning to expend the capacity of PIMS and 400 beds would be added into the existence capacity of PIMS for this purpose one more storey can be constructing in the PIMS building. The then Health Minster Muhammad Nasir Khan, claiming to boost medical tourism in Pakistan, initiated the expensive project. He was of the view that the project would attract a large number of patients and that tourists from the Middle East and Gulf will also visit this super luxurious hospital of public sector. All such expectations were a far cry as in a developing country like Pakistan who would bother to come for medical treatment when its own rich patients prefer to go abroad for medical treatment, he ironically said. The then Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz had inaugurated the ground-breaking ceremony of the building. The total outlay of the project was Rs 2.20 billion and its completion was expected within three years. The official opined that due to the wrong policies of the previous government it was happened as they just decided to take the step without considering the drawback of the project. The present government, after taking technical assessment of the project, termed it incorrect and decided to cancel it. However, the building would not be constructed but the funds would not be lapsed and the amount would be spent on completion of different projects of Pakistan Medical Institute of Sciences, he added. Besides cancelling the construction of his building, construction of another multi-storey hospital in Karachi has also been called off, mainly giving the same reasons. According to the official, in the technical assessment many flaws were found in the project and one of the main reasons was provision of electricity as due to current electricity crisis it was impossible to complete the project successfully. It was decided that the PIMS medical tower would be provided state of the art medical facilities. It was useless as there is no need to spend such a huge amount on such projects. Now the small and big incomplete projects of PIMS would be completed while utilising the amount, the official added.