PMA moves to curb unfair FIRs against medics through legal committees

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Lahore has announced the formation of legal committees at the tehsil and district levels nationwide to safeguard medical professionals from unfair first information reports (FIRs).    

These committees will include representatives from civil society and lawyers to prevent the registration of unjust FIRs against doctors.

The decision was made during a pivotal webinar organized by PMA Lahore and chaired by Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami.

The session saw wide participation from across the country, including doctors, health professionals, and legal experts, and laid out an action plan to prevent further exploitation of the legal system.

Prominent legal expert Zahid Nadeem and Dr Salman Kazmi gave detailed presentations on the legal aspects of FIR registration.

They raised serious concerns about the police’s conduct in the Pakpattan incident, where FIRs were allegedly filed without following proper legal channels.

The speakers emphasized that doctors are protected under existing Punjab Healthcare Commission laws and the instructions of the IG Punjab, which stipulate exemptions in certain cases.

However, these safeguards are often overlooked, leading to unnecessary harassment of healthcare staff.

During the session, it was announced that legal committees will be formed at both the tehsil and district levels nationwide.

These committees will comprise representatives from civil society and the legal fraternity to ensure that FIRs against doctors are not registered without due process and a genuine investigation.

The initiative aims to prevent the recurrence of incidents such as the Pakpattan tragedy, where doctors were reportedly targeted through unjust and illegal FIRs.

One of the key resolutions of the webinar was to prepare and submit a detailed memorandum to Pakistan’s highest state institutions, including the president, prime minister, Punjab governor, Punjab chief minister, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Supreme Court Human Rights Cell, and Punjab IG Police, demanding strict action against unlawful FIRs.

The memorandum will highlight recent instances of legal misuse and demand structural reforms to prevent future occurrences.

PMA Lahore also pledged to disseminate comprehensive legal information regarding police procedures and the Punjab Healthcare Commission’s laws to all doctors.

These steps are intended to empower medical professionals with the knowledge they need to protect their rights and respond effectively in case of any legal challenges.

In his closing remarks, Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami underscored the damaging impact of such baseless legal actions, not only on the careers of the doctors involved but also on the public health system at large.

 “We are committed to countering such practices through legal and administrative measures. It is essential for all health workers to remain informed about their rights and stand united,” he said.

The webinar concluded with a collective call to action, urging the government to implement immediate reforms to safeguard the medical community from unwarranted legal actions and to uphold justice in the healthcare sector.