Balochistan doctors call off strike on home minister’s assurance

All OPDs of civil hospitals across province opened

QUETTA: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has called off its province-wide strike on the assurance given by Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti that their demands will be fulfilled as soon as the chief minister, who is on a foreign tour, comes back.

It was about time that the home minister intervened as the YDA’s protest had entered its sixth day on Saturday in which all outdoor patients departments (OPDs) of civil hospitals across the province had been shut down, creating immense hardships for the patients.



They had even set-up a protest camp inside the Civil Hospital, Quetta for acceptance of their demands.

Their demands included; increase in salary, improving service structure, availability of proper facilities at hospitals and making permanent contract employees.

Addressing a news conference after convincing the young doctors to end their strike, the home minister said, “We will accommodate the YDA’s demands within the limited resources we have.”



He was flanked by Balochistan Assembly Opposition Leader Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Health Minister Majid Abro and Izhar Khoso.

Bugti said, “The government of Balochistan will approve the YDA summary for up to 100% increase in internship pays as it is. As far as the house allowance is concerned, I will meet the chief minister and try to convince him that if he cannot increase up to Rs10,000, then do whatever he can.”

He said the opposition had also demanded improvement in the condition of hospitals. “We will try our level-best to well-equip the hospitals with all basic facilities within the limited resources of the Balochistan government,” he added.

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He thanked the YDA for listening to him and calling off the strike.

Earlier, the home minister had met YDA President Yasir Khosti and convinced him to call off the strike.

All Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association Provincial Secretary General Haji Rehmatullah Dehwar said, “We are not fond of protests or intentionally create problems for patients. We were just protesting for our rights.”

Patients visiting Quetta from remote parts of the province had been facing severe difficulties due to the strike.



Muhammad Ikram had brought his father to the civil hospital from Pishin for treatment and was waiting for the doctors to start his treatment. The home minister’s intervention saved Ikram from facing hardships.

During a session of the Balochistan Assembly on Saturday, MPAs voiced their concern over the strike of doctors. They said that doctors were fleecing patients of their hard-earned money at private hospitals, while poor patients were facing immense difficulties in getting proper treatment at government hospitals.