IHRA Under Fire as Islamabad Magistrates Expose Network of Illegal Clinics Thriving Under Regulatory Neglect

IHRA Under Fire as Islamabad Magistrates Expose Network of Illegal Clinics Thriving Under Regulatory Neglect

Nadeem Tanoli

Islamabad: A series of targeted raids by Islamabad’s magistrates in Sangjani and surrounding areas has exposed a disturbing proliferation of unlicensed medical clinics, revealing a complete breakdown in regulatory oversight by the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA). The crackdown, triggered by multiple complaints from concerned citizens, resulted in criminal cases against several individuals posing as doctors and running hazardous facilities without legal licenses or qualifications.

Over a span of weeks in June and July, district magistrates conducted multiple enforcement actions that uncovered a pattern of illegal medical practices taking root across low-income sectors of the capital. In each instance, officials reported that not only were the so-called clinics unregistered, but they were also operating in dangerously unsanitary conditions, lacking both qualified staff and safe medications. These discoveries have sharply exposed IHRA’s failure to regulate or respond to repeated public warnings.

One of the most alarming incidents occurred on July 17, when a team led by Magistrate Raja Shoaib  raided “Ahmed Clinic” in the Sangjani market. The alleged doctor, Khizr—who identified himself as the owner—was unable to provide any license or medical registration. The clinic was found stocked with expired and unhygienic medicines, and no certified doctor was present. An FIR (No. 1048/25) was registered under Sections 268 and 269 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertain to public nuisance and negligence likely to spread infection.

Just two days later, on July 19, another raid, this time supervised by Magistrate Raja Shoaib, exposed “Shani Clinic” in Dhok Paracha, where a man named Mehmood was practicing medicine without authorization. As with the previous case, conditions were deemed dangerous to public health, and no licenses could be produced.

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In an earlier operation on June 29, officials inspected “Mardan Clinic” in Dhok Abbasi and found two individuals—Akram and his assistant Khalid—illegally running the establishment. Again, neither could present valid documentation, and the facility was stocked with degraded medicines. FIRs were lodged against all offenders at the Sangjani Police Station, with police officers SI Asif Raza, ASI Sarfraz Ahmad, and ASI Iftikhar Ahmed executing the documentation and filing.

While these operations were carried out efficiently by Islamabad’s local administration, the common thread across all cases is the conspicuous absence of IHRA—the body legally tasked with regulating healthcare practices in the federal capital. Sources reveal that repeated public complaints about these facilities were submitted to IHRA, but no visible action was taken. In each case, it was the district magistrates who were forced to intervene in response to growing public outrage and evident risk to human life.

The revelations have triggered sharp criticism of IHRA from civil society, medical professionals, and public health advocates. The regulator, created to ensure safe and legal medical practices in Islamabad, now stands accused of enabling widespread medical malpractice through negligence, inaction, and a lack of field enforcement.

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In neighborhoods like Sangjani, Tarnol, and Bhara Kahu—where low-income populations are often forced to rely on nearby clinics—the unchecked rise of “ataai” doctors has put thousands at risk. Investigative reporting and whistleblower accounts suggest that IHRA has not only failed to conduct regular inspections but also ignored documented complaints, allowing a shadow healthcare network to take root across the city.