LAHORE: In a significant development aimed at organizing and elevating Pakistan’s alternative, homeopathic, bio-chemic, herbal, and acupuncture sectors to international standards, the Acupuncture Promotion Society (APS) has declared its formal and unconditional support for the Pakistan Association of Alternative Medicine (PAAM).
This major milestone for the alternative medicine movement centres on PAAM’s singular “one-point agenda”: the establishment of a permanent, independent, and dedicated Federal Ministry for Alternative Medicine.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference addressed by Arshad Mughal, President of the Acupuncture Promotion Society (APS), and Dr. Kashif Aslam Malik, President of the Pakistan Association of Alternative Medicine (PAAM), where both leaders emphasized the critical necessity of such a ministry. Also present to demonstrate solidarity and express full confidence in PAAM’s national vision was a list of prominent figures including Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, Dr. Tariq Mahmood Chaudhry, Hakim Saqib Majeed, Dr. Abdul Mateen, Sarfraz Ahmed, Muhammad Naeem Bhatti, and Dr Afia Nousheen.
Speaking to the press, APS President Arshad Mughal stated that the establishment of an independent Federal Ministry is the only viable path to ensure the true protection of the rights of millions of practitioners and patients associated with the alternative sector in Pakistan. He also highlighted its essential role in the global branding and standardization of the industry. Commending the tireless efforts of PAAM’s founder-president, Kashif Aslam Malik, Arshad Mughal assured that the APS will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with PAAM and provide full cooperation across organizational, professional, and legal fronts to see this “revolutionary agenda” to its logical conclusion.
Welcoming the support from the Acupuncture Promotion Society, PAAM President Dr. Kashif Aslam Malik noted that the unification of diverse stakeholders under one roof sends a clear message that the alternative medicine sector can no longer be ignored. He argued that a dedicated federal ministry would do more than provide legal safety for homeopathic, bio-chemic, herbal, and acupuncture practices; it would also harmonize regulatory efforts with international standards, paving the way for the industry to generate billions of rupees in valuable foreign exchange for the national economy.
The press conference concluded with a collective resolve from all participants that for the very survival and future of the alternative sector, it is imperative for all representative organizations in the alternative medicine domain to unite on this single-point agenda.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments