Report a Quack in Punjab: Healthcare Commission Has Sealed 77,126 Outlets
Report a quack in Punjab on PHC's free helpline 0800-00742 or by written complaint within 60 days. PHC has sealed 77,126 outlets. See how to file it today.
To report a quack in Punjab, call the Punjab Healthcare Commission's toll-free helpline 0800-00742, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or send a written complaint with an affidavit within 60 days. The Commission's own counter, updated on 20 October 2026, shows 163,347 outlets visited and 77,126 quackery outlets sealed.
A quack, under the Punjab Healthcare Commission Act, 2010, is a pretender who gives health services without registration from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, the National Council for Tibb, the National Council for Homeopathy or the Pakistan Nursing Council. The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) is the provincial body that licenses clinics and hospitals and acts on complaints. We read its anti-quackery pages, its complaint FAQs and its action counter on 20 October 2026.
PHC has visited 163,347 outlets and sealed 77,126
PHC's "Actions Against Quacks" page, updated 20 October 2026, lists 163,347 outlets visited. Of these, 77,126 were sealed and 43,301 were marked for surveillance. In 35,769 cases the quack had left the business, and 5,379 outlets were found legitimate.
| Result of PHC visits | Outlets | Share of visits |
|---|---|---|
| Quackery outlets sealed | 77,126 | 47.2% |
| Marked for surveillance | 43,301 | 26.5% |
| Quacks who left the business | 35,769 | 21.9% |
| Found legitimate | 5,379 | 3.3% |
| Others | 1,772 | 1.1% |
| Total visited | 163,347 | 100% |
The five categories add up exactly to the total. The shares are our arithmetic. One number stands out: only about 1 visit in 30 found a legitimate practice. That reflects which outlets get visited, mostly those already suspected, so it does not mean 97 per cent of clinics in Punjab are fake.
The PHC Act defines a quack by missing registration
Section 2(xxix) of the PHC Act, 2010 defines a quack by registration, not by skill. Anyone treating patients without registration from one of the four councils is a quack. Section 4 gives the Commission power to ban quackery in all its forms.
Section 13(5) lets PHC fine a person up to Rs 500,000 for providing, or pretending to provide, health care without PHC registration. Section 28 allows the same maximum for breaking the Act or its rules. Under section 26(2), PHC can refer a case to the police or other agencies. PHC says it has authorised district administrations in every Punjab district to seal quack premises.
PHC also lists licensed practitioners who go beyond their licence, such as a lady health visitor performing a caesarean section, among the hazards of quackery. So registration alone does not settle every case.
Spot a quack before you are treated
A quack often has no registration certificate on the wall, sells medicines from the same desk and gives injections or drips for almost every complaint. The clearest test is a registration number you can check. PHC lists the harms it has seen, from unsafe injections to steroid misuse.
PHC's health hazards page says unsafe injections and unsterilised dental tools spread hepatitis and HIV. It links steroid misuse to obesity, diabetes and weak bones, and wrong-site injections to nerve damage. It also names illegal abortions, overuse of antibiotics and heavy-metal "kushtas" as causes of serious harm.
Before you are treated, ask for the doctor's registration number and check the doctor's PMDC registration online. A medicine shop should have a licence too, and you can check a pharmacy's drug licence in Punjab.
How to report a quack to the Punjab Healthcare Commission
You can call the PHC helpline for advice, then file a written complaint. PHC's FAQs say a complaint must be signed or thumb-printed, carry a notarised affidavit, include a copy of your CNIC, and be filed within 60 days of learning the facts.
- Write down the outlet's name, full address, the person's name if known, and the dates you went.
- Keep any slips, medicine packs or receipts. Do not hand them over to the outlet.
- Call PHC's toll-free helpline 0800-00742, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, in Urdu or English.
- Fill in PHC's complaint form, or write on plain paper, and attach a notarised affidavit and a CNIC copy.
- Submit it by hand or by post, and keep a copy of everything you send.
PHC will not take anonymous or pseudonymous complaints, so your name goes on the form. It also refuses complaints that are time-barred or already before a court. The same process applies when complaining against a hospital or doctor in Punjab, including the hearing.
If someone has been harmed, seek medical care first. A harmful injection or drip may also justify a free hepatitis test later, which a doctor can advise on.
Common questions
What is the PHC helpline number?
The Punjab Healthcare Commission's toll-free helpline is 0800-00742. It runs Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, in Urdu and English.
Can I report a quack without giving my name?
No. PHC's FAQs say it does not process anonymous or pseudonymous complaints. A complaint needs your signature or thumb impression and an affidavit.
How long do I have to complain?
Sixty days from the date you came to know the facts. PHC treats a later complaint as time-barred.
What fine can a quack face in Punjab?
Up to Rs 500,000 under sections 13(5) and 28 of the PHC Act, 2010. PHC can also seal the premises through the district administration.
Is a hakim or homeopath a quack?
Not if registered. A hakim registered with the National Council for Tibb, or a homeopath with the National Council for Homeopathy, is not a quack under the Act.
Where is the PHC office?
PHC's website footer lists 185 Ahmed Block, New Garden Town, Lahore, phone 042-99333161-68. Its complaint FAQs still give 38 Abbot Road, Shaheen Complex, so call the helpline before posting anything.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 20 October 2026. We read the PHC anti-quackery introduction, legal mandate and health hazards pages, the Actions Against Quacks counter (updated 20 October 2026), the complaint FAQs and the PHC helpline notice, all on os.phc.org.pk. The percentages are our arithmetic. PHC's district-by-district detail search returned a server error when we tried it, so we could not check figures for any one district. The two office addresses on PHC's own site differ, and we could not confirm which one takes postal complaints today.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
