Pakistan Doctors Seek 3 Legal Reforms After 1 Acid Attack

The acid attack on a female doctor has become a legal flashpoint in Pakistan, with PIMA urging a trio of legislative reforms. For legal experts, the proposals raise important questions about balancing doctor accountability with protection from frivolous prosecution, and how statutory protections could influence occupational safety standards across sectors.

The acid attack on a female doctor in Pakistan has ignited a critical conversation about the safety and legal protections of healthcare workers in a country where systemic underfunding and violence have become endemic. On June 14, 2026, the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) convened a seminar titled 'Who Will Heal the Healers?' at PIMA House in Karachi, directly addressing the recent attack that sparked nationwide outrage. The event, organized in response to escalating harassment, intimidation, and physical assault against medical professionals, brought to light a multifaceted crisis that threatens not only the well-being of doctors but the entire healthcare delivery apparatus.

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On June 14, 2026, the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) convened a seminar titled 'Who Will Heal the Healers?' at PIMA House in Karachi, directly addressing the recent attack that sparked nationwide outrage.

PIMA Central President Atif Hafeez Siddiqui used the platform to issue a series of urgent demands, framing the violence as a symptom of a broken system where healthcare workers are held responsible for systemic failures while lacking basic occupational safety. He criticized the growing influence of wealthy business interests that, he argued, are distorting healthcare access and denying ordinary citizens quality services. Siddiqui's central appeal was for lawmakers to enact specific legislation that criminalizes attacks on healthcare professionals, vandalism of hospital property, and threats against medical personnel, treating them as serious criminal offenses rather than civil disputes. This demand acknowledges a legal vacuum: currently, no dedicated law shields doctors and hospital employees in Pakistan from violence that arises during the course of their duties.

Beyond criminalization, the proposals delved into procedural reforms. Siddiqui called for restrictions on unauthorized photography and video recording of medical staff while on duty—a measure aimed at curbing the doxing and intimidation that frequently follows patient disputes. He further insisted that criminal cases against doctors should require prior review by the relevant health commission before registration, a safeguard intended to prevent frivolous or malicious litigation that burdens clinicians and exacerbates workplace stress. These measures echo global trends where healthcare worker safety laws, such as the UK's Assaults on Emergency Workers Act, have been introduced, but Pakistan's context is particularly fragile given widespread poverty, understaffed facilities, and a history of attacks on polio vaccination teams.

Zakia Aurangzeb, President of PIMA's Women's Wing, shifted the focus to the economic vulnerabilities of trainee doctors. She highlighted the exceptionally low salaries paid to young medical professionals, who often work grueling hours with minimal institutional support. This financial precarity not only fuels burnout but also makes it harder to retain talent, deepening the healthcare access crisis in a nation of over 240 million people. The combination of physical danger, meager pay, and lack of legal recourse creates a perfect storm that could accelerate brain drain among Pakistani physicians seeking safer, better-compensated opportunities abroad.