How to Complain Against a Hospital or Doctor in Islamabad

To complain against a hospital, clinic, lab or doctor in Islamabad, file with the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) within 60 days. Use the online form at ihra.gov.pk/file-online-complaint, WhatsApp 051-9199-902, or post the form with a notarised affidavit to IHRA in H-8/2.

A bill that doubled overnight. A report the hospital will not hand over. A wrong diagnosis at a private clinic in G-9. These are the cases IHRA was set up to hear under the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Act 2018, and its Directorate of Complaints handles them for every public and private healthcare establishment in Islamabad Capital Territory.

We read IHRA's complaint page, its online form, its English complaint form and affidavit sample, and its complaint process flowchart on 3 October 2026. We also downloaded IHRA's list of registered establishments and counted 1,962 entries. The rules below are IHRA's own. We did not file a complaint ourselves.

Who can complain to IHRA, and about what

Any patient, a next of kin such as a parent, spouse or guardian, or a person the patient authorises can complain to IHRA. The complaint must be about a healthcare establishment in Islamabad, such as a hospital, clinic, lab, dental clinic, hakeem or homeopath.

IHRA's complaint page lists the problems it may investigate. The common ones for patients are:

• Unreasonable delay in giving medical care
• Treatment without informed consent
• Excessive or inappropriate charges for a service or procedure
• Refusal to hand over your medical records
• Treatment by staff without proper qualifications, or without the equipment the case needed
• Negligence, malpractice or harassment at the facility

The 60 day deadline decides most cases

You must file within 60 days of the date you came to know about the problem. IHRA's FAQ says a complaint filed after that is time barred and will not be processed. The online form cites section 34 of the IHR Act 2018 for the same limit.

Sixty days goes fast when someone in the family is still unwell. File a short complaint early and add documents later. IHRA also refuses complaints that are unsigned, anonymous, sent without the affidavit, or already before a court.

Four ways to file a complaint with IHRA

IHRA accepts complaints online, on WhatsApp, by email, and by hand or post. Each route still needs a signed complaint and a notarised affidavit, so the online form starts the case but does not replace the paperwork.

One thing to know about email. IHRA's complaint FAQ gives info@ihra.org.pk and complaints@ihra.org.pk, while the footer of the same site gives info@ihra.gov.pk. Send to the gov.pk address, copy the complaints address, and confirm on 051-9199-902. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

How to file your complaint step by step

Download the patient complaint form, fill it in, get the affidavit notarised on stamp paper, attach your records and submit. IHRA says photocopies and scans are accepted when you submit, so you do not need to hand over originals.

1. Download the complaint form and affidavit sample from the complaint page at ihra.gov.pk/complaint. They come in English and Urdu. On our visit the English buttons were swapped, so the "Complaint Form English" button opens the affidavit and the "Affidavit in English" button opens the form.
2. Fill in your details, the patient's details if you are not the patient, the name and address of the hospital or clinic, and the names of the people you are complaining about.
3. Write what happened, when, and who was involved. Say what you already did, such as a complaint to the hospital, and what outcome you want.
4. Copy the affidavit text onto stamp paper and have it notarised. Sign it or add your thumb impression. You can buy an e-stamp paper online.
5. Attach a copy of your CNIC, medical records, receipts and any letters with the hospital.
6. Submit by hand, post, WhatsApp or email, or start with the online form and send the papers after.

The affidavit is the part people skip, and it is the part that gets complaints refused. It confirms your facts are true, that no court case is pending on the same matter, and that you will attend hearings. If the patient has died without a post mortem, the sample asks you to say whether you are willing to get an autopsy report.

What happens after you file

IHRA first checks whether your complaint is maintainable under its Complaint Regulations 2020. If accepted, it sends notice to the hospital or doctor for an explanation, then holds hearings, may inspect the facility or seek an expert opinion, and the competent authority decides.

You may be called in person for a hearing. IHRA says not every case needs you at its office, but when you are called you must go. If a party asks for adjournments only to delay, the case can go ahead ex parte, meaning without them.

Every party gets a copy of the final decision. IHRA's flowchart shows an appeal to the CEO against a decision, and a representation if your complaint is rejected at the start. Its FAQ separately says a healthcare provider unhappy with a decision can appeal to the Ministry of Health or the District and Sessions Court. The FAQ wording does not say clearly which forum applies to a patient, so ask at the hearing.

Penalties IHRA can impose

Under the IHR Act 2018, IHRA can fine a provider Rs 50,000 for giving false information to inspectors, suspend a licence after repeated negligence of the same kind, and fine up to Rs 500,000 anyone who ignores its final decision.

That last row is a real risk. The Rs 200,000 fine applies when a complaint is proved false and filed to harass, defame or embarrass. An honest complaint that IHRA does not uphold is not the same thing, but keep your account to facts you can show.

IHRA also regulates what hospitals may charge. That rule is why the Islamabad doctors' fees disclosure bill drew questions in Parliament about overlap with IHRA.

Check the clinic is registered before you complain

IHRA publishes a list of registered healthcare establishments at ihra.gov.pk/registered-hces-list. Search it for the clinic's name. If it is missing, say so in your complaint, because running an unregistered facility is an offence under the IHR Act 2018.

When we downloaded the list on 3 October 2026 it had 1,962 entries, numbered up to IHRA-02871. The biggest groups were GP clinics, homeopaths and dental clinics. The "Registration Status" and "Verify Regular License" buttons on IHRA's licensing page did not open anything on our visit, so the list is the check that works.

The Act allows a fine of up to Rs 1 million, or up to five years in prison, for running a healthcare establishment without registration or a licence, according to IHRA's licensing page. A doctor's own licence is a separate matter. You can check a doctor's PMDC registration online before you file.

Outside Islamabad the regulator changes. Rawalpindi is in Punjab, so a hospital there falls under the Punjab Healthcare Commission, not IHRA.

Common questions

Is there a fee to complain to IHRA?

We found no filing fee on IHRA's complaint page, online form or complaint form. Your cost is the stamp paper and the notary for the affidavit.

Can I complain about a government hospital in Islamabad?

Yes. IHRA's law covers public and private healthcare establishments in Islamabad Capital Territory alike.

How long do I have to complain?

Sixty days from the date you came to know of the problem. IHRA treats later complaints as time barred.

Can I complain on behalf of a relative?

Yes. A next of kin, such as a parent, spouse or guardian, or anyone the patient authorises can file. The form asks for your relationship to the patient.

Will the hospital know my name?

Yes. IHRA must share your name and complaint with the establishment, but all parties must keep the proceedings confidential. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 3 October 2026. The 60 day limit, who can complain, the grounds, the refusal grounds, the four filing routes, the H-8/2 address, the WhatsApp number, the email addresses, the hearings and adjournment rules, confidentiality and the Rs 200,000 false complaint fine are read on IHRA's complaint page and its online complaint form. The penalties under sections 18(2), 22(5) and 38 are read on the same page. The form fields and affidavit contents are read in IHRA's English patient complaint form and affidavit sample, and the process in its complaint process flowchart. The office hours and the Rs 1 million and five year penalty for unregistered establishments are read on IHRA's registration and licensing page. The count of 1,962 registered establishments is our own tally of IHRA's published list on 3 October 2026. We did not file a complaint, and IHRA's pages do not give a time limit for deciding one.