Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested the powerful Secretary of the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), Yasmin Azad, Tuesday night in connection with an old case and transferred her to its confinement center. Hours later, she secured bail—reportedly with the assistance of influential government officials.
Adding to the turmoil, police briefly arrested several PNMC council members later the same day after a confrontation at the council’s premises. They were released shortly afterwards, but the incident further underscored the deep divisions and leadership disputes within the institution.
The events come amid heightened controversy surrounding the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC/PNMC), which has long been criticized as a problematic regulatory body with murky governance, rampant fake nursing colleges, and questionable graduate quality. Critics argue that the council operates outside the domain of the federal health ministry, whose attempts to oversee or reform it have repeatedly failed.
The Islamabad High Court recently declared the appointment of PNMC’s President, Farzana Zulfiqar—initially installed under the caretaker government in late 2023—as void, citing unconstitutional procedures. Similarly, another official, Asif Ali, lacks the required nursing background, rendering his position legally unsound under the PNMC Amendment Act 2023, which stipulates that the Secretary must have relevant professional qualifications.
Officials have also raised concerns about Yasmin Azad, noting her absorption into the council in violation of statutory deputation rules—after refusing to return to her parent department and obtaining undue promotions without fulfilling legal requirements.
Despite widespread misgivings, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (NHSR&C) has effectively been hamstrung in its ability to act against PNMC officials. A recent Ministry report highlighted that, as an autonomous body, the PNMC must handle its internal disciplinary matters—leaving the Ministry reliant on the FIA to pursue investigations.
Parliamentary and Senate health committees have expressed deep concern over the PNC’s role in certifying dubious nursing institutions. Reports suggest that fake affiliations, bogus certificates, and even human trafficking have emerged from some PNC-registered colleges, prompting calls for a serious inquiry.
Furthermore, in 2023, the FIA cracked down on illicit “nursing” institutes issuing fabricated diplomas and degrees to unsuspecting students in Islamabad—discovering fake seals, certificate-making equipment, and evidence of fraudulent clinical credentials.
A March 2025 parliamentary report on the PNMC’s functioning noted pervasive dissatisfaction among legislators over the Council’s lack of transparency, its failure to represent nursing professionals, and concerns over unaccredited institutions serving as gateways for illicit practices.
Together, these developments paint a disturbing picture: Pakistan urgently needs well-trained, qualified nurses—but the very body charged with ensuring nursing standards has become entangled in controversy, failing to uphold professional ethics or regulatory clarity. Meanwhile, the federal health ministry’s efforts to impose oversight have continued to falter against the PNC’s entrenched autonomy.
With the FIA arrest and immediate bail of the PNMC Secretary, the temporary detention of its council members, and no clear ministerial control in sight, the nursing regulatory framework in Pakistan remains in deep crisis. The ongoing saga underscores crucial questions: How long will substandard training institutions continue to operate? How many more unqualified nurses will be produced under such lax oversight? And when will meaningful reform take hold to protect patient safety and rebuild professional credibility?
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