Pims non-medical staff observes strike against administration

Banners listing demands were removed before the PM’s visit to hospital.

ISLAMABAD:

The non-gazetted and non-medical staff of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) observed a full day strike against the hospital administration on Monday. The management had removed all the banners put up by  non-gazetted staff requesting the Prime Minister for pay increase, service structure and regularization of staff on contact.

They said though the strike has been called off after the recent blast in the capital,  it will continue till their demands are fulfilled.

The protestors alleged the executive director of Pims, Dr Jehanzaib Aurkzai to be behind it all  and demanded him to resign.  They said the hospital administration was not supporting them and  by removing their banners had deprived them of communicating their demands to
the PM.

Sources in the hospital told the Express Tribune, that the PM would be visiting the hospital in a few days time to inaugurate the medical college, in view of which the banners were taken off on Sunday.

A non-medical staff told on the condition of anonymity that for the past few days they were peacefully protesting and had only put up banners to convey their demands  “But this action by the hospital’s administration has forced us to go on a full day strike and we will continue till our demands are acknowledged,” he continued. The Express Tribune tried to contact Dr Aurakzai, but he was not available to comment on the occasion.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2011.