Police disperse protest of doctors, paramedics by force in Karachi

Police used water cannon and baton charge to disperse the protest camp of Grand Health Alliance outside the Sindh Secretariat. Policewomen in particular used excess force on protesting nurses.

PHOTO: INP

The protestors had warned that if the Sindh Health Department did not issue the notification for the restoration of health risk allowances, service structure and time scale by 12 noon on Friday, then they will march towards Chief Minister's House.

Afternoon, the protestors started their march towards the Chief Minister House, as a result of which the traffic flow was severely affected on the road opposite the Sindh Secretariat.

PHOTO: INP

Soon, huge contingents of police, women police and women police commandos rolled in with batons and a water cannon.

The cops besides drenching the protestors, beat them severely and hauled away some doctor and paramedics in police mobiles, only to release them after about 15 minutes.

Police confined hundreds of protestors in front of DJ Science College and SM Arts College stopping them from marching towards the Red Zone.

PHOTO: NNI

The doctors and paramedics are boycotting OPDs of government hospitals of the city since last one month and for the last four days, all services except emergency and ICU (intensive care units) have been suspended at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, National Institute for Children's Health and Qatar Hospital. Hundreds of operations have been postponed and the patients are suffering. Protesters raised slogans against the Sindh Health Department.

PHOTO: ONLINE