INTRODUCTION
Karwan-e-Hayat, a welfare institute for mental health care, was founded on June 30, 1983 under the companies Act 1913 with a registration number K-457/7461. This Act was later changed to Companies Ordinance 1984. This institute was established for the purpose of providing psychiatric help, mainly to under privileged multitudes of such stricken people in our society who are unable to get specialist care. It is a voluntary welfare non government organization active in caring for mentally ill poor patients of our society.
Among its founding members have been eminent personalities of: (Late) Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, (Late) Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro, Ms Anita Ghulam Ali (Minister for Education Sind Province), Prof. Zaki Hassan, Dr. Abdullah Hussani, Dr. Zafar Quraishi and Mr. Ismial Bawany.
Karwan-e-Hayat runs a Mental Health Care Clinic and day Care Center at its premises in Al-Noor Arcade, Khyaban-e-Jami, Karachi. The institute is managed by a Board of Directors and financed through donations, Zakat and grants. It needs generous financial assistance to strengthen its hands for elevating the suffering and improving the quality of life of those who deserve the care and treatment, but cannot afford the cost.
Eminent and dedicated psychiatrists and psychologist consultants have been gracious enough to take time out from their private practice and hold clinic during the week at Karwan-e-Hayat premises on voluntary basis. Qualified doctors and psychotherapists have been engaged to man the clinic during the day (six days a week).
A group of sociologists and social workers complete the team which provides treatment and rehabilitation and also works with the community to raise public awareness (by holding camps and other means) about the curability of mental health care services provided by Karwan-e-Hayat. 

PATIENT POPULATION
The accurate and scientific data on incidence of mental illness in Pakistan is not available.
Global criteria, as developed by WHO indicates that 10% of total population worldwide suffers from mental illness. Using this global international criterion a figure of 1.2 million mentally persons are quoted for Karachi only. 

AVAILABLE FACILITIES FOR TREATMENT
Karachi has 60 psychiatrists and 350 beds, of which 100 are in the government hospitals, to treat the ill patients.The city does not have a proper built facility for inpatient treatment of acute or sub-acute patients. It also does not have a center for care and rehabilitation of such patients. 

PROPOSED PROJECT PARAMETERS
It is planned to acquire a one acre plot land for the proposed project. A 50 beds facility, 25 each for male and female patients respectively.
Each wing would have 5 single and 5 double rooms and a ward of 10 beds, cafeteria, rooms for indoor games and vocations such as painting, TV entertainment etc.
Facility would also have consulting rooms, area for visitors, administration, accounts, reception and training. The total built up area will be 14, 000 square feet.  

OPERATIONS
Occupancy assumed at 60% and ward patients expenses to be subsidized up to 70 %. In the initial years, there would be excess of annual expenditure over annual income which would need to be covered by generous financial assistance and donations. 

DONATIONS 

Karwan-e-Hayat needs generous financial assistance to first acquire a one acre plat of land and then construct the facility as per the plan described above. 

All donations, zakat and grants may please be sent to: 

                        THE PRESIDENT
                        KARWAN-E-HAYAT
                        ROOM # 101, FIRST FLOOR,
                        AL-NOOR ARCADE
                        BLOCK C-5/6,
                        NEAR QAMR-UL-ISLAM MOSQUE,
                        KHAYABAN-E-JAMI
                        KARACHI-75500

                        PAKISTAN
                        TELEPHONE: 92-21-586-3060
                        EMAIL:nafmak@khi.compol.com

 Karwan-e-Hayat has two bank accounts, namely 

ALLIED BANK LTD.
KHYABA-E-JAMI
KARACHI

 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
CLIFTON
KARACHI

Few present board members, namely

 Mr. Masroor Ahmed, President            

• Former Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Limited.

 Mr. Masood M. Suhail, Director Finance.

• Former Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Limited

 Mrs. Zainab Ibrahim, Vice President

• She is active in many community related programs and is involved with a charitable hospital.

 Mrs. Zehra Ahmed, Director

• She is active in well known and successful NGO called BEHBUD.

Mrs. Munira Chinoy, Director

• A very active social worker.

 Mrs. Nadira Sohail, Director

• A very active social worker.

 M. Aslam Khan, Retired Director, PIA/MD, PIA Investment Limited. 

Karwan-e-Hayat also has the following leading consultant’s psychiatrists on the board: 

• Dr  Zafar Qureshi
• Dr  Aijaz Nanjiani
• Dr  Ajmal Kazmi
• Dr  Shireen Hussain
• Dr  Musarrat Hussain

 The first four consultants run OPDs at different hospitals and the last name is the Head of Psychiatry, Jinnah Hospital Karachi. 

Karwan-e-Hayat is presently running an OPD at its premises where around 400 poor patients are provided free medicines. Dr Zafar Qureshi, Dr Ajmal and Dr Shireen Hussain visit the OPD on pre-scheduled days to attend the patients. 

The accounts for Karwan-e-Hayat are annually audited by Chartered Accountants and a report is issued accordingly.