KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan (SOGP) on Wednesday announced a protest and issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the government, warning that escalating violence against healthcare professionals has reached a breaking point and requires immediate state intervention.
Addressing a press conference on February 26, 2026, representatives of the two organisations said Pakistan’s doctors have served the nation for decades despite deteriorating hospital conditions and mounting pressure, but are now facing targeted violence, intimidation and official neglect.
They expressed deep sorrow over the recent killing of Dr. Mehwish, terming it not only a personal tragedy but also a grim reflection of the state’s failure to protect its healthcare workers.
Citing historical data, the speakers said that between 2012 and 2014, at least 130 doctors were killed and 150 kidnapped in Karachi alone. They added that although global monitoring mechanisms have expanded over the years, the situation in Pakistan continues to deteriorate.
According to figures shared at the briefing, incidents of violence more than tripled between 2023 and 2024, with fatalities among healthcare workers rising from three to at least fifteen within a year.
The representatives stated that vaccination teams in border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are being systematically targeted, noting that 25 separate attacks on polio campaigns were recorded in 2024. They further alleged that doctors are increasingly being assaulted by mobs inside hospitals and treated as vulnerable targets amid inadequate state response.
The PMA and SOGP placed three key demands before the federal and provincial governments: immediate nationwide implementation of the Protection of Healthcare Professionals Act; exemplary punishment for attackers through fast-track courts; and declaration of hospitals as protected zones with trained security personnel deployed on premises.
Condemning what they described as government apathy, the organisations warned that if tangible steps are not taken within 72 hours, they will launch a nationwide protest and announce their next course of action. They cautioned that continued inaction could compel more medical professionals to leave the country, further straining the already fragile healthcare system.
The press conference was addressed by Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Secretary General PMA Centre; Dr. Ismail Memon, President PMA Karachi; Dr. Shahid Ebrahim Mamsa, Secretary General PMA Karachi; and Prof. Shabeen Naz Masood, Secretary General SOGP.
