Thousands of house officers at government hospitals across Sindh have reportedly gone without salaries and stipends for three months, leaving many junior doctors facing financial difficulties.
The payment delays followed a new payment system introduced in May 2026, under which house officers are to receive their stipends directly into their bank accounts instead of receiving cheques from their respective hospitals.
Payment Data Submitted to Accountant General
A finance officer at a government hospital said authorities had collected the required documents from house officers, including forms, copies of identity cards, previous cheques and other information.
The data was subsequently submitted to the Accountant General Sindh (AG Sindh) for processing. However, the outstanding payments have yet to be released.
The officer said house officers frequently approach hospital administrations seeking updates about their unpaid stipends. Hospitals, however, are no longer responsible for making the payments under the new direct-to-bank system.
More Than 3,800 House Officers Affected
The payment issue affects a large number of junior doctors working across Sindh’s public hospitals.
Around 280 house officers are working at Civil Hospital Karachi, while Jinnah Hospital Karachi has more than 700 house officers and over 450 postgraduate trainee doctors.
Overall, more than 3,800 house officers are reportedly serving at government hospitals across Sindh.
Young Doctors Warn of Protest
Jinnah Hospital’s Young Doctors Association President Dr Shahid Awan has demanded the immediate release of all outstanding stipends.
He warned that doctors could launch protests if the payments are not cleared within days. The doctors may also consider a boycott of outpatient department services as part of their response to the prolonged delay.
The dispute has highlighted difficulties arising from the transition to the new payment mechanism, with house officers waiting for their pending salaries and stipends to be transferred through the revised system.
