The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has voiced strong concern over recent raids conducted by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) at private healthcare facilities, urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene and halt what it described as “aggressive” and “commando-style” actions by tax officials.
In a statement, the representative body of doctors said the unannounced entry of FBR teams into private clinics and hospitals, particularly in Punjab, had crossed acceptable limits and amounted to harassment. PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said such actions threatened the very fabric of healthcare delivery in the country and directly interfered with patient care.
He noted that recent raids had forced the suspension of Outpatient Department services at several facilities, disrupting medical treatment and creating fear and psychological distress among patients. The presence of enforcement officials during clinical and surgical activities, he said, undermined the sanctity of healthcare institutions and posed risks to patient safety.
Dr Shoro stressed that tax collection should not come at the cost of human life, adding that doctors were not traders and hospitals were not retail outlets.
He pointed out that the private healthcare sector catered to more than 70 per cent of Pakistan’s population and treating medical professionals as commercial vendors was a misinterpretation of their role. While reiterating respect for the rule of law, the PMA said audits should be carried out through documented and professional channels rather than coercive raids.
The association said doctors were willing to comply with tax obligations, provided there was transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. It also warned that continued targeting of healthcare providers discouraged professional excellence and contributed to the brain drain of skilled medical professionals.
Calling on the prime minister and the finance minister to take immediate notice, the PMA demanded an end to what it termed harassment by the FBR. It cautioned that failure to do so could force doctors to suspend services nationwide, placing responsibility for any resulting healthcare crisis on the authorities.
The FBR has recently increased on-site monitoring of private hospitals and clinics amid concerns over low tax compliance within the medical profession.
