Pima convention closes with calls for better health, education systems

Censuring the government’s spending on education and health care, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday said that despite spending around Rs3 trillion, the government has failed to provide quality health and education services to people.

Rehman was speaking at the concluding session of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association’s (Pima) 27th Biennial Convention at the Karachi Expo Centre that was attended by health professionals, scholars and activists from Pakistan and abroad. The event focused on addressing the pressing challenges facing the country’s healthcare and education systems.

“Pakistan is now 77 years old, and yet we still can’t provide basic health, education or justice to our people. The state is responsible for ensuring justice and peace, but we’re failing,” said the JI chief, expressing frustration at the worsening conditions in Pakistan’s healthcare system, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.

He said that the health budget for Sindh alone stands at Rs300 billion, while the national health budget is Rs1.3 trillion, yet there is no proper primary health care in many parts of the country. “The situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa isn’t much better, and even Punjab falls short of ideal healthcare standards.”

He also criticised the commercialisation of education and health care in Pakistan, particularly in the private sector. “Medical education now costs millions, making it inaccessible to the middle class.”

He pointed out that education is the primary responsibility of the state, but it has become a trade. “The result is that only 10 to 12 per cent of the people can reach higher education, while 90 per cent are deprived.”

He decried the fact that over 27.5 million children are out of school in Pakistan. “What will become of these children? They’re more likely to fall into gangs or substance abuse than receive any education.”

Rehman also addressed the broader societal implications of this neglect, saying that quality education once used to be available at public schools, which produced many of Pakistan’s leaders.

He lamented the decline in public education, with successive governments increasingly handing over schools to the private sector through public-private partnerships. “We’re slowly distancing ourselves from this core responsibility.”

Other speakers at the session echoed these concerns. Alkhidmat Foundation President Dr Hafeezur Rehman addressed the dire state of health care in Gaza, where thousands are suffering due to the ongoing conflict.

Dr Rehman mentioned the humanitarian efforts made by Alkhidmat and other NGOs to provide medical supplies, food and shelter to the people of Gaza, despite the enormous challenges posed by the Israeli blockade.

“We’ve sent ambulances, medical supplies and even mobile hospitals to Gaza. We’re working with local and international partners to help alleviate the suffering of those trapped in what is essentially an open-air prison.”

The session also featured virtual addresses from international speakers, including Islamic Circle of North America President Dr Mohsin Ansari and Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research President Sheikh Omar Suleiman, both of whom stressed the need for Muslims to lead in humanitarian efforts and global advocacy for justice.

In another key session, Dr Babar Saeed and Pima President Prof Atif Hafeez discussed the future of health care in Pakistan.