The PMA strike is over for now. What it means for house officers, and what happens on 28 November
OPDs closed on 1 and 2 November over FIRs against doctors and FBR's point-of-sale rules. Here is what the strike was about, why FIRs matter to house officers, and the next date to watch.
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This comes from press reports of the Pakistan Medical Association's (PMA) statements. We did not find a government or FBR reply in those reports, so you are mainly reading one side. Check your own hospital's instructions for duty.
On Sunday 1 and Monday 2 November, the PMA called on doctors to close outpatient services across Pakistan. ARY News reported that OPDs and private clinics were closed on 2 November, while emergency departments kept working. We could not find a reliable national count of how many hospitals closed, so treat any big number you see with care.
The next date is 28 November. Dawn reports that the PMA Central Council will decide the next step at its meeting that day.
Why the PMA called the strike
The demands, as reported by Dawn and Medical News Pakistan, come down to three things:
| Issue | What the doctors' bodies want |
|---|---|
| FIRs against doctors | No direct FIR after a complication or death without assessment by a certified, independent medical board |
| FBR and point of sale (POS) | An end to FBR raids on private clinics, and talks on POS rules and a fair tax framework |
| Safety | A Healthcare Professionals Protection Act from Parliament, plus legal and physical security in hospitals |
Dawn named the Pakistan Medical Association, the Young Doctors' Association, the Private Hospital and Clinics Association of Pakistan, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan at the press briefing in Karachi. The strike followed an earlier shutdown call on 30 September and a doctors' convention in Gujrat on 11 October.
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The POS row mostly touches private clinics. The FIR demand reaches you on your first night on call. You may be the first doctor to see the patient and the first name in the notes.
Nobody can promise that good notes will keep you out of a dispute. They are still the best record of what you saw, when you saw it and who you told. For now:
- Write the time on every entry. Include when you called your senior and what they said.
- Escalate early and record it. "Discussed with SR at 02:15" protects the patient first, and you second.
- Know your hospital's route. Find out who to call if a family becomes violent or threatening, before you need it.
- If police or a legal notice reach you, tell your head of department and get legal advice. Do not rewrite the notes.
This is general information, not legal advice. Our house job survival guide covers the rest of life on the wards.
Does this change any exam date?
We found no CPSP, UHS or PMDC notice linking the strike to an exam. These dates still stand on the exam tracker:
- NRE Step 1: Sunday 8 November. If you are sitting it, do a free timed mock today.
- FCPS Part 1: 5 January 2027. The late-fee deadline is 6 November, and the additional late-fee deadline is 13 November. Details are in FCPS Part 1 dates and fees.
Lost a few days to the strike? Use them. FCPS-1 Prep is free for now, and a free account saves your progress across your phone and laptop.
What to watch next
- 28 November: the PMA Central Council meeting.
- Parliament: any movement on the Healthcare Professionals Protection Act.
- FBR: any reply on POS rules for clinics.
We will update this page if any of these change.
Sources
FAQ
Were emergency departments closed during the PMA strike?
No. The PMA said emergency services at government hospitals would stay open, and ARY News reported that emergency departments kept working on 2 November.
What happens next with the PMA strike?
Dawn reports that the PMA Central Council will decide the next step at its meeting on 28 November 2026.
Did the strike change the NRE or FCPS Part 1 dates?
We found no notice saying so. NRE Step 1 is listed for 8 November 2026 and FCPS Part 1 for 5 January 2027. Confirm on the PMDC and CPSP websites.