Islamabad: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health authorities have sealed Tahir General Hospital near the Charsadda Motorway Interchange after uncovering a series of serious regulatory violations, including the employment of unqualified staff, offering unregistered services, operating diagnostic facilities without required certifications, and persistent abusive behavior towards inspection teams.
This is the same facility where a physiotherapist recently prescribed unnecessary medicines worth Rs30,000 to a cerebral palsy patient, forcing her impoverished father to sell his motorbike.
Following multiple complaints from the Deputy District Health Officer (DDHO) Dr. Alamgir, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Wasiullah, Deputy Commissioner Qaiser Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Nisar Ahmad, and Director Operations Dr. Shafa Haider, a follow-up inspection was carried out on June 30, 2025.
Inspectors Dr. Ijlal Haider and Muhammad Nasir noted alarming discrepancies, starting with the inconsistent identity of the facility.
The name displayed outside read “Dr. Fahad Tahir General Hospital,” whereas official documents identified it as “Tahir General Hospital,” and its letterhead cited “Tahir Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Complex.”
Inspectors found that the hospital was operating unauthorized physiotherapy and rehabilitation services, while unqualified personnel were performing duties meant for certified medical professionals.
Hospital staff, particularly Dr. Fahad Tahir and Dr. Tahir Ahmad, were aggressive, used abusive language, and refused to share required documentation with the team. A show-cause notice was issued, demanding a written explanation within 14 days.
The situation worsened during a follow-up inspection the next day on July 1, when the team found that Dr. Fahad and Dr. Javeria Ahmad had been prescribing medicines, advising lab investigations and X-rays in the absence of a qualified orthopedic surgeon or consultant.
This was a clear violation of their scope of practice and was deemed illegal.
Further inspection of the diagnostic facilities revealed that the X-ray department was operating without certification from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), while the laboratory had no qualified staff on duty.
There was also no system for biomedical waste disposal, and the hospital’s hygiene conditions were far below acceptable standards.
When confronted, both Dr. Fahad and his father again resorted to abusive language and attempted to intimidate the inspection team using hospital staff and patients.
The situation escalated to a point where the team had to call for security assistance through the DHO office to ensure the inspection could continue safely.
With the support of law enforcement, the inspection team proceeded to seal all four units associated with the facility. Authorities confirmed that Mr. Fahad Tahir had been actively involved in patient care and was issuing prescriptions despite lacking the legal and professional credentials to do so.
This was not an isolated case of misconduct. During the earlier inspection on June 30, the same individuals had misbehaved with the regulatory team.
The hospital’s repeated defiance, illegal practices, and hostile conduct ultimately led to its sealing by the health department. Regulatory action and potential legal proceedings are now underway, with officials stressing that such actions are necessary to prevent exploitation of patients and ensure the provision of safe, ethical healthcare.
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