Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal visited the University of Illinois Chicago to explore opportunities for academic, research and healthcare collaboration between Pakistan and the United States.

During the visit, the Minister held detailed discussions with the University's Provost, Vice Provost and Dean of the medical faculty on potential areas of cooperation between the University of Illinois Chicago, the Prime Minister's proposed Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre (JMCRC) and the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Center (PKLI).

Sharing the Prime Minister's vision for the Jinnah Medical Complex,  Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan is committed not only to developing state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure but also to building international academic and clinical linkages that will help the institution emerge as one of the leading medical centres in the region.

The two sides exchanged views on expanding collaboration under the US-Pak Knowledge Corridor by incorporating medical sciences alongside higher education. Potential areas discussed included faculty and student exchanges, scholarships, joint research initiatives, advanced surgical training and institutional partnerships.