The Khewra salt mine has a small underground asthma clinic, run by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), where patients with allergic asthma spend long daily sessions breathing the mine's air as a course of up to 10 days of treatment. It is not a tourist attraction, and it is not a proven cure. This guide explains what is publicly reported about how it works, how long it takes, what doctors say, and what to ask before you go.
One honest warning first: the only published price we found is from 2010, so we do not print a current cost. Ask PMDC.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Run by | Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) |
| Opened | Set up December 2005, fully operational March 2007 |
| Method | Long sessions in the salt-walled underground clinic; no medicine |
| Course length | Reported as about 10 days (older report) |
| Daily time | Reports range from 6 to 8 hours to 11 hours |
| Suits | Asthma triggered by allergy, according to the clinic |
| Cost | Last published price is from 2010; confirm with PMDC |
What is the Khewra asthma clinic?
The clinic is a 12-bed therapy centre built inside the mine by PMDC, set up in December 2005 and fully operational by March 2007. Dawn's 2010 report described six salt-brick cabins with 12 beds, with salt-block walls and roof, salt lamps, a lounge and a reception area. Other reports describe the larger asthma resort as having around 20 beds, so published capacity differs.
The idea follows the model of salt-mine health resorts in Poland and Ukraine, a form of speleotherapy. The clinic's staff say the salt air carries antibacterial particles, that the environment is clean, dust-free and humidity-controlled, and that this helps loosen mucus and clear the airways.
How does the therapy work?
Patients stay in the mine for set periods each day while breathing the air. Reports do not agree on the schedule:
- Dawn (2010): a 10-day course with 11 hours a day in the mine, nights in a nearby hospital.
- A later news report: about 110 hours in total, at 6 to 8 hours a day.
Both fit a course of roughly a week to ten days. No medicine is given as part of the programme. The clinic's director told Dawn that patients recover "through the air". Ask about the current schedule when you enquire, because it may have changed since those reports.
Who is it for?
The clinic says it treats asthma caused by allergy and does not take other respiratory conditions. If your asthma has a different cause, or you have another lung or heart condition, ask a doctor before booking. A mine is cool and enclosed, and the walk down and the long hours underground are not suitable for everyone.
Reports say the clinic has also drawn patients from abroad. We could not confirm how many people use it each year: Dawn reported about 500 treated since 2007 as of 2010, and a later report said about 50 patients a year.
What do doctors say?
This is the part to read carefully. Dr Akhlaq Bukhari, the clinic's director, told Dawn that about 60 per cent of patients report relief. A later report quotes an 80 per cent improvement rate, with younger, self-motivated patients improving faster. Against that, Dr Shahid Abbas of an Islamabad allergy and asthma centre told Dawn that there is "no scientific proof" that a person can permanently get rid of asthma by breathing salt-mine air.
A fair summary: some patients report temporary improvement, and the results are not independently verified. Treat it as something to consider with your own doctor, not a replacement for inhalers, your prescribed treatment or emergency care. Take your usual medication with you.
How much does it cost?
Dawn reported Rs5,300 for the whole 10-day course in March 2010, about 62 US dollars at the time. That is more than sixteen years old, and we found no current published price. Do not use it for budgeting. Contact PMDC through its website or at the mine office and ask for the current fee, what is included and whether accommodation is separate.
How to book and get there
We found no online booking system. The clinic is attached to the mine, so enquire with PMDC or at the mine's office. Ask about waiting lists, what to bring, and whether a doctor's letter is needed.
Khewra itself is about 200 km from Islamabad and about 245 km from Lahore by the M2 per one report, around two and three hours respectively. For the visitor side of the mine, see our Khewra ticket price guide, how to reach Khewra Salt Mine and the history of the mine.
Is it worth considering?
Possibly, if your asthma is allergic, your doctor agrees, and you can spend a week or more away from home. It is not a quick fix and the evidence is thin. If you only want to see the mine, buy a normal visitor ticket and do not expect to see the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Khewra salt mine really treat asthma?
The clinic reports improvement in a share of patients, but a specialist quoted by Dawn says there is no scientific proof of a permanent cure.
How long is the treatment?
Reports describe a course of about 10 days, with 6 to 11 hours a day in the mine depending on the report.
How much does the Khewra asthma therapy cost?
The last published price we found is Rs5,300 for 10 days, from 2010. Ask PMDC for the current fee.
Can anyone take the therapy?
The clinic says it treats allergic asthma, not other conditions. Ask a doctor first.
Can tourists visit the clinic?
It is a treatment facility, not a tourist stop. Visitors take the mine's regular tour route instead.
