PMA Condemns Federal Minister Khawaja Asif’s Remarks on Health Sector

By Our Staff Reporter
Lahore — Farzana Chaudhry

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has strongly condemned the recent remarks made by Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif regarding the country’s health sector, terming them “irresponsible, baseless, and insulting.”

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, PMA Central President Dr. Izhar Ahmed Chaudhry, along with other office bearers including Dr. Kamran Saeed (President PMA Punjab), Dr. Nader Khan (Vice President), Dr. Kamran (General Secretary), Dr. Saleem Nawaz (Joint Secretary), Dr. Zulqarnain (Finance Secretary), Prof. Shahid Shaukat Malik (President PMA Lahore), and Dr. Iram Shahzadi (Vice President PMA Lahore), expressed deep regret over the minister’s statement.

Dr. Kamran Saeed said the purpose of the press conference was to convey the sentiments and concerns of doctors and health professionals across Punjab regarding the “highly inappropriate comparison” made by the minister between the medical community and defense institutions.

“The capability, patriotism, and professionalism of Pakistani doctors, medical staff, and the armed forces are globally recognized. Their performance does not require any certification from anyone,” he remarked, adding that despite limited resources, the medical community continues to serve the public day and night.

The PMA officials maintained that the real issues plaguing the health sector stem from “unserious rulers of the provincial health department, political interference, and bureaucratic incompetence,” not from the medical professionals who remain committed to their duties.

They criticized the minister’s remarks made in public gatherings as “an expression of helplessness,” emphasizing that many of the same doctors serve honorably in defense institutions — a testament to their dedication and competence.

“It would have been better if the minister had reviewed the situation of various hospitals and medical colleges across Punjab, especially Khawaja Safdar Medical College in Sialkot, and announced concrete steps for improvement,” the statement read.

The PMA further pointed out that both public and private health sectors are being burdened by excessive regulations, citing the Point of Sale (POS) initiative by the FBR, which they said imposes unnecessary financial stress on doctors and patients alike.

They accused the government of neglecting the sector while simultaneously stifling it through bureaucracy and political patronage.

The Pakistan Medical Association has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate notice of the situation, investigate the minister’s conduct, and hold the provincial health bureaucracy accountable.

The association also demanded that the Punjab government declare a health emergency and launch a high-level judicial inquiry to identify those responsible for the deteriorating conditions in hospitals and medical colleges.