KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has strongly criticised a recent report issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and demanded its immediate withdrawal, terming it “biased and misleading.”
In a statement, the association said the report reflected an “unacceptable attitude” by the FBR and the government towards the country’s healthcare sector, which it described as vital and service-oriented rather than purely commercial.
The PMA objected to what it called the selective targeting of doctors as the only professional group failing to file income tax returns. “The healthcare community is not engaged merely in business; doctors provide essential, life-saving services to the people of Pakistan, often at minimal cost,” the statement said. It added that portraying doctors as primary defaulters was misleading and deeply insulting to professionals working on the front lines.
The association argued that the bulk of income tax non-compliance originates from other influential sectors, including political elites and their allies, who, it alleged, are rarely identified or declared defaulters. According to the PMA, the medical community is being treated as a soft target.
Media reports citing FBR data show that out of 130,243 doctors registered nationwide, only 56,287 filed income tax returns this year. The data further indicates that 31,870 doctors declared zero income from private practice in 2025, while 307 reported losses despite operating busy practices in major cities. Only 24,137 practitioners acknowledged earning any business income.
The PMA maintained that even these figures do not present a complete or fair picture of the profession and reiterated its demand that the FBR withdraw the report and adopt a more balanced and comprehensive approach to tax compliance across all sectors.
