Supreme Court moved against quacks, healers

Petition filed for regulating all such practitioners

ISLAMABAD:

The top court has been moved for controlling and regulating the works of all priests, quacks and faith healers working across the country.

Hundreds of thousands of herbal doctors, hakims, magicians, palmists and spiritual healers operate in Pakistan. There are no laws governing their practices and people are often conned.



The petitioner, Faizuddin, has filed the plea in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, making the ministries of law, religious affairs, Capital Administration and Development Division, Council of Islamic Ideology and the National Assembly as respondents.

The petition contends that all citizens doing any business should work within the prescribed law and should not be allowed to work to damage the interest of people. There are no laws to control such illegal activities. Faizuddin suggested the law should contain penal clauses against people who violate the law and do business by fooling and deceiving people. He stated a majority of people were illiterate, particularly in religion, and could therefore be easily deceived by fake priests.

The petitioner has contended that quacks should be banned from working until a law is framed.

“Since it relates to the population of Pakistan, only the top court is competent to entertain this petition and pass an order for the welfare and protection of the citizens,” Faizuddin said.



The plaintiff has not approached any provincial high courts and asked the apex court to summon all provincial law officers for assisting it.

He also requested the SC to direct the respondents for enacting a law for regulating and controlling such professions.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2016.