The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), on Wednesday, announced a nationwide strike. It also issued directives to keep all medical centres across the country closed.
Why has the PMA announced a nationwide strike?
According to details, the PMA has called for this nationwide strike in protest against alleged harassment, raids, fines, and tax policies enforced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The PMA has directed that all medical centres nationwide remain closed today.
Meanwhile, provincial and local leadership will hold press conferences to press for the acceptance of their demands.
Opposing the implementation of the Point of Sale (POS) system in private hospitals, the PMA stated that classifying healthcare services as retail sales is unacceptable.
What are PMA’s demands?
Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, General Secretary of PMA Central, stated that the medical community is up in arms against the FBR’s raids, fines, and alleged harassment.
He further demanded that the FBR withdraw the POS requirement, abolish unnecessary fines, and stop raids on hospitals.
The PMA has warned that they will consider suspending medical services across the country for an indefinite period if their demands are not met.
PMA warns: MDCAT applications fall
According to recent reports, the number of students applying for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) continued to decline in Pakistan.
The PMA has raised concerns over the trend. According to figures from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), around 138,000 candidates applied for MDCAT in 2026. The number was 140,071 in 2025.
The figures show a steady fall in interest over recent years. In 2022, 204,253 students applied for the test.
The number dropped to 180,534 in 2023. Around 182,000 candidates applied in 2024. The figure then fell to about 140,000 in 2025. This year, applications dropped further to around 138,000.
It also said the decline may reflect growing concerns about medicine as a career. It described the trend as more than an issue caused by registration deadlines.
