PMA announces nationwide strike over FBR tax policies

LAHORE: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) will lead a nationwide strike on September 30, shutting down medical facilities across the country to protest tax policies imposed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), with private healthcare providers joining the action. The dispute centers on the reclassification of healthcare services as retail sales and its requirement that private hospitals install Point of Sale (POS) systems. PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said the move disregards the nature of medical work, arguing that hospitals treat patients rather than sell commercial goods. Private hospitals currently provide more than 70 per cent of the healthcare services and already pay regular income tax, according to Dr Shoro. Despite this, he said the sector has come under mounting pressure from tax authorities, facing heavy fines, raids on hospital premises, and sustained harassment that has made running medical institutions increasingly difficult. Dr Shoro maintained that healthcare is a public service and should not be treated as retail trade. He warned that if the FBR and the government do not end what he described as hostile tactics against healthcare providers, the medical community would be forced to suspend all services nationwide for an indefinite period. The decision to strike followed a series of leadership meetings held across all provinces, where the PMA reached full consensus on the action. All medical establishments in every province have been instructed to close completely on September 30. The association has called on the federal government and the FBR to withdraw the POS requirement, eliminate fines, halt raids on hospitals, and recognize the essential role played by medical professionals in the country.