The Pharmacy Council of Pakistan (PCP) has barred 14 universities and colleges from admitting students to their Pharm-D programmes and issued show-cause notices to 29 other institutions, bringing the total number of institutions facing action to 43. The strict regulatory action comes as part of ongoing evaluations to ensure that educational standards and infrastructure across medical and pharmacy teaching facilities meet the required criteria set by the council.
The institutions barred from admissions include prominent names such as the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore; Iqra University's Islamabad campus; and Abasyn University. Meanwhile, those served show-cause notices include the University of Sindh, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Dewan University, Karachi, Bharghari Institute of Pharmacy, Matli, Bahauddin Zakariya University, and Nishtar Medical University.
According to the detailed lists issued by the council, the 14 institutions barred from admissions comprise six in Punjab, seven in Islamabad, and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The regulatory body emphasized that these institutions failed to rectify deficiencies pointed out during previous inspections, leading to the extreme step of freezing their admissions for the upcoming academic session.
The 29 institutions served notices include 22 in Punjab, four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and three in Sindh. The three institutions in Sindh served notices are the University of Sindh, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Dewan University, and Bharghari Institute of Pharmacy, Matli, located in district Badin.
The council raised a serious objection to the University of Sindh's pharmacy building also housing the Department of Eastern Medicine and Surgery, noting that dedicated spaces are mandatory for professional pharmacy degrees. At Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Dewan University, inspectors noted that the pharmacy laboratories were undersized and that unrelated programmes were being run in the building specifically designated for Pharm-D.
Furthermore, the council pointed to the complete absence of crucial academic facilities, including a dedicated computer laboratory and an adequately stocked pharmacy library. The PCP expressed a profound lack of confidence in the faculty at Bharghari Institute of Pharmacy and directed the institution to appoint qualified and professionally competent teachers without delay.
The institutions barred from admissions comprise Salar College of Pharmacy, Sheikhupura; Bashir Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad; Islamic International Institute of Medical Sciences, Multan; Medicaid College of Pharmacy, Chakdara, Lower Dir; MY University, Islamabad; Rawal College of Pharmacy, Islamabad; and Smart Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhakkar.
Other institutions facing admission bans are Abasyn University, Islamabad; Department of Pharmacy, National Excellence Institute (NEI), Islamabad; Iqra University, Islamabad campus, Chak Shahzad; Peace and Care Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad; AIMS International College of Pharmacy, Arifwala; University of Health Sciences, Lahore; and AIMS International College of Pharmacy, Okara.
The 29 institutions served show-cause notices include Atlas College of Health Sciences, Gujranwala; Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, Layyah; Al-Shifa Institute of Health Sciences, Narowal; Arcturus College, Narowal; Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; Bright International College, Lahore; Buraq Institute of Health Sciences, Karak; and Frontier Institute of Medical Sciences, Haripur.
Concluding its directives, the PCP warned that failure to address the highlighted shortcomings within the stipulated timeframe would result in the cancellation of registration and permanent closure of the offending pharmacy programmes across the country.