Court orders protesting doctors' reinstatement

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday nullified the termination notices issued to protesting doctors and ordered their reinstatement.

Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi passed the orders while allowing a set of petitions filed by affected doctors.

During the hearing, Young Doctors Association President Dr Shoaib Niazi and several other medics appeared in person, while the health department was represented by a special secretary and an additional secretary.

The doctors' counsel informed the judge that despite an earlier suspension of the termination notices by the court, the doctors had not been reinstated. He pointed out that the Rawalpindi Bench of the high court had already granted relief in similar cases involving two doctors.

In response, the Punjab assistant advocate general assured the bench that the court's directives would be implemented.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court allowed the petitions and ordered the relevant health authorities to proceed with the reinstatement of the doctors in accordance with the law.

Doctor Arsalan Raza and others were among the petitioners who had approached the high court against the termination notices issued by the health department.