# Doctors' OPD strike: PMA shuts clinics and hospital OPDs for two days over FIRs and FBR's POS rule

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/health/doctors-opd-strike-pma-shuts-clinics-and-hospital-opds-for-two-days-over-firs)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 2 Nov 2026
Updated: 2 Nov 2026
Retrieved: 2 Nov 2026

> Outpatient departments and private clinics across Pakistan are closed from Monday on the Pakistan Medical Association's call. Emergencies stay open. Here is what is shut, why, and where to go.

**Doctors strike today:** outpatient departments (OPDs) at public and private hospitals and private clinics across Pakistan are closed for two days from **Monday 2 November 2026**, on a call from the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA). Emergency departments at every hospital stay open, [ARY News reported](https://arynews.tv/doctors-protest-firs-harassment-fbrs-pos-policy-in-pakistan) from a PMA Karachi statement.

If you had a routine appointment or a follow-up booked for Monday or Tuesday, expect it to be cancelled. Call the clinic before you travel. For anything urgent, go straight to the emergency ward of the nearest hospital.

## What is shut and what is open

| Service | Status, 2 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| OPDs at government hospitals | Closed |
| OPDs at private hospitals | Closed |
| Private clinics | Closed |
| Emergency departments | Open as usual |

PMA Karachi said the shutdown follows a directive from the association's central leadership and a resolution doctors adopted across the country on 29 October.

## The four demands

The PMA says it is protesting against:

1. **FIRs against doctors** that it calls unjustified.
2. **Legal proceedings** against medical professionals.
3. **Humiliation and harassment** of doctors.
4. **FBR's Point of Sale (POS) rule**, which makes clinics connect their billing to the tax authority's system so every fee is recorded.

PMA Karachi president Dr Muhammad Ismail Memon and general secretary Dr Shahid Ibrahim said in a joint statement that protecting doctors' dignity, professional independence and rights was essential, and asked hospitals and other medical bodies to back the two-day shutdown.

## The POS dispute is not new

This is the second time this autumn that doctors have closed clinics over the POS requirement. Private clinics shut on 30 September over the same rule ([our story from then](/news/health/pma-strike-30-september-private-clinics-to-shut-over-fbr-pos-rule)). The FBR wants the fees doctors charge to be logged at the point of sale, as it already requires of large retailers, restaurants and other service providers, so that income is visible for tax.

## What it means for patients

- **Monday and Tuesday:** routine OPD visits, check-ups and follow-ups are off.
- **Emergencies:** go to the hospital's emergency department, which the PMA says will run normally.
- **Finding a hospital:** our directory lists [hospitals in Karachi](/businesses/hospitals/karachi), [hospitals in Lahore](/businesses/hospitals/lahore) and [hospitals in Islamabad](/businesses/hospitals/islamabad) with addresses and phone numbers.

For doctors working out what the POS rule means for their own tax, our [income tax calculator](/tools/tax/income-tax-calculator) shows the tax on a given annual income under the 2026-27 slabs.

## Frequently asked questions

**Are hospitals open during the doctors' strike?**

Emergency departments at all hospitals stay open. Outpatient departments (OPDs) at public and private hospitals and private clinics are closed for two days from Monday 2 November 2026, PMA Karachi said.

**Why are doctors on strike?**

The Pakistan Medical Association lists four issues: FIRs it calls unjustified against doctors, legal proceedings against medical professionals, harassment of doctors, and FBR's compulsory Point of Sale (POS) system for clinics.

## Sources

- Doctors protest against 'FIRs, harassment' and FBR's POS policy across Pakistan (2 Nov 2026) (ARY News): https://arynews.tv/doctors-protest-firs-harassment-fbrs-pos-policy-in-pakistan

How to cite: "Doctors' OPD strike: PMA shuts clinics and hospital OPDs for two days over FIRs and FBR's POS rule", Searchable, 2 Nov 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/health/doctors-opd-strike-pma-shuts-clinics-and-hospital-opds-for-two-days-over-firs