Emergency PMA showdown challenges FBR over POS systems in hospitals

Emergency PMA showdown challenges FBR over POS systems in hospitals

KARACHI: In an emergency session at PMA House, Karachi, the Emergent Central Council of the Pakistan Medical Association declared open resistance against what it called an aggressive and destabilizing campaign by the Federal Board of Revenue targeting hospitals and doctors through Point of Sale (POS) systems and punitive enforcement laws.

The meeting, attended by the full spectrum of central and provincial leadership, unanimously branded recent FBR actions as calculated intimidation that threatens both medical professionals and patient care. Council members cited raids on medical facilities in Punjab and coercive monitoring tactics as violations of privacy, professional dignity, and the mental wellbeing of healthcare providers.

Related story: PMA slams FBR for grouping doctors with beauty parlours in tax drive

Zero tolerance for harassment of doctors

The Council expressed “zero tolerance” for what it described as systematic harassment of doctors. It warned that intrusive inspections and pressure tactics during clinical hours directly interfere with life-saving services and undermine trust between patients and healthcare providers.

Categorical rejection of POS and Section 175C

The PMA formally rejected the mandatory installation of POS systems in hospitals and clinics, arguing that medical practice is not a retail business.

“Doctors are life savers, not shopkeepers,” the Council stated, calling POS enforcement in emergency and inpatient settings technically impractical and ethically insulting.

The meeting also denounced the application of Section 175C, which allows authorities to penalize and publicly name professionals. The Council termed it a draconian provision that violates constitutional rights to due process and damages professional reputation without fair trial.

Immediate withdrawal demanded

The PMA issued a non-negotiable demand for the immediate withdrawal of POS requirements from all hospitals in Punjab. Leaders reminded the government that doctors already rank among the highest tax-paying segments of society and should not be subjected to redundant digital surveillance while working under severe resource constraints.

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Nationwide protest threat

If the policies are not reversed promptly, the PMA warned of decisive escalation. These include withdrawing all focal persons coordinating with the FBR and launching nationwide protests. The action plan may extend to the suspension of elective services and closure of private clinics across Pakistan.

“We will not allow the healthcare system to be paralyzed by bureaucratic overreach,” the Council declared, warning that responsibility for any disruption in patient services would rest solely with the authorities if intimidation continues.

The confrontation marks one of the most serious standoffs between Pakistan’s medical fraternity and tax authorities in recent years, raising critical questions about how fiscal policy intersects with emergency healthcare delivery and patient safety.

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