YDA protests after colleague killed in target attack

Medics give government 32-hour ultimatum to arrest murderers

FAISALABAD: Young Doctors Association protested the targeted killing of a fellow doctor in the city and shut the out-patient department (OPD) of various government-run hospitals.

Dr Mahmood Aleem was gunned down late Tuesday when unidentified armed outlaws intercepted his vehicle near Allied More while he was on way home along with his brother after attending the clinic. The miscreants opened indiscriminate fire on them and as a result, Dr Mahmood Aleem was killed on the spot while his brother Babar Zafar suffered injuries.



Protesting Aleem’s death and lack of security available to doctors, YDA was joined by senior doctors as they voiced their concerns. In this regard, the OPDs of Civil Hospital and Allied Hospital were shut down for the day, while the emergency wards remained opened. A protest rally was also staged by the doctors that led to traffic disruption and caused inconvenience to the commuters.

The protesters stated that doctors were not provided security making them a vulnerable target. They added that criminals involved in Aleem’s killing should be arrested forthwith. The YDA members threatened that the intensity of the protest will be increased if the police and authorities failed to arrest the killers of Dr Aleem within the next 32 hours.

Meanwhile, Ghulam Muhammad police registered a case under section 302, 109, 149 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code against three nominated persons – Mian Muhammad Irfan, Zain Irfan and Ali Irfan and two unknown persons for hatching conspiracy of killing Dr Mahmmodd Aleem.

YDA strike: Health ministry orders action against protesting medics

SHO Jamshed Chishti told The Express Tribune, “A case has been registered on the complaint of deceased’s elder son Saqib Aleem. He accused Mian Irfan and his two sons of hatching a conspiracy of killing his father through hired assassins.”

He maintained the police have arrested Mian Irfan and his two sons while further investigation was underway.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2017.