Two AMC staffers fired for ‘inciting violence’

The board of the Ayub Medical College on Wednesday terminated two employees after a high-level inquiry against them determined that they were involved in taking the law into their hands and inciting violence.

An inquiry report presented to the board of governors of the Ayub Medical Teaching Institution said that basic pay scale (BPS) grade 19 medical officer Dr Khayal Afridi and Ayub Medical College (AMC) Security Supervisor Faridoon Khan were involved in orchestrating a mob attack on the offices of the dean and the chief executive officer of the medical teaching institution on October 18, 2019.

The report added that actions of the two staffers put the lives of the dean and other employees of his office in danger while creating significant fear, discomfort, and insecurity amongst the staff of the institution and their families.

With the faculty and staff of the institution strongly condemning the attack and demanding strict disciplinary action against those responsible, an FIR had been lodged against the attackers while disciplinary proceedings as per the rules were initiated.

Based on the report of the high-level inquiry, Dr Afridi and Faridoon were suspended and issued show-cause notices.

However, the two employees sought a stay on the case from the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

But the court later vacated the stay because the institutional issues must be dealt with by the respective institutions as per the established rules and regulations.

Subsequently, the inquiry was completed as per the E&D rules with the two officials afforded a hearing by the board of governors.

In view of the inquiry committee’s report and all supporting evidence, the board decided to dismiss the two employees on October 8.

“Dismissal from service with immediate effect,” concluded the board.

While talking to the media, a member of the board said that violence is neither permitted nor acceptable at any cost. We have to protect the lives of the employees and we can go to any extent to provide a safe and secure working environment for our staff, the official said while requesting not to be named.

The attack came as staff at the AMC had gone on a 47-day-long strike in the facility on the call of the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) to protest against the implementation of Regional Health Authority and the District Health Authority (RHA and DHA) acts.

The laws had been promulgated by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government with the stated objective of regulating and to improving health care services for the public at the division and district levels respectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2020.