Protest continues: Nurses promised consideration by govt
Improved pay package, regular promotion and quashment of FIR are top demands.
LAHORE:
Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the nurses’ protest and set up a committee to examine their demands the government announced on Friday. Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Saeed Elahi held a two hour long negotiation session with leaders of protesting nurses including Shehnaz Akhtar, Razia Sattar, Tauseef Khanum, Shamim Samuel, Shamim Akhtar, Nazia Ali and Rubina Ashraf at noon on Friday. Dr Elahi later told the media that the CM had constituted a committee to examine the nurses’ demands.
The committee consists of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Dr Elahi, Advisor to Chief Minister Zakiya Shahnawaz and some parliamentarians. The committee will meet a delegation of nurses’ representatives at 11:00 am on Saturday.
The protesting nurses have nominated 14 colleagues as their representatives. Dr Elahi said the three top demands - the top demands included provision of a special pay package, a timeline for promotion and quashing of the FIRs registered against them on account of the protest - will be presented before the committee on Saturday (today). The committee will submit its final recommendations to the CM.
Civil Lines police have registered an FIR against the 300 nurses – 16 of them named - who protested on The Mall on Thursday demanding a raise in their salaries. The FIR includes charges of damaging government property and violating the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. An FIR has also been registered against 18 traders who allegedly threw eggs at the nurses. No arrests have been made.
Governor Sardar Latif Khosa also took notice of the protest on Friday and directed the inspector general of Police Punjab to conduct an investigation into the beating of nurses by police.
Meanwhile, the nurses’ protest continued for the second day on Friday as nurses from various hospitals gathered in front of the Lahore Press Club.
They were joined by Punjab PPP president Imtiaz Safdar Warraich and general secretary Samiullah Khan who pledged their support and criticised the Punjab government for making false claims of good governance.
Warraich said they had requested Raja Riaz to take up the issue in the Punjab Assembly.
Ayesha Ahad Malik arrived at the protest at 4 pm, saying she was representing civil society. She appealed to the CM to resolve the issue quickly. She said had the government anticipated the problem and resolved it the women would not have had to take to the streets for their rights.
Around 100 nurses from Children Hospital and Lahore General Hospital marched from Children Hospital to Model Town Mor at around 10 am and then joined nurses from Mayo and Services Hospital at around 11am. More than 300 including some from Bahawalpur, Vehari and Rajanpur marched to Charring Cross and protested in front of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The protestors then marched towards Lahore Press Club where they remained till 5 pm. Shazia, a nurse from Multan, told The Express Tribune that she and 14 other nurses will meet Dr Elahi. She said Dr Elahi their protest will continue on Saturday in front of the Lahore Press Club.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.
Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the nurses’ protest and set up a committee to examine their demands the government announced on Friday. Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Saeed Elahi held a two hour long negotiation session with leaders of protesting nurses including Shehnaz Akhtar, Razia Sattar, Tauseef Khanum, Shamim Samuel, Shamim Akhtar, Nazia Ali and Rubina Ashraf at noon on Friday. Dr Elahi later told the media that the CM had constituted a committee to examine the nurses’ demands.
The committee consists of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Dr Elahi, Advisor to Chief Minister Zakiya Shahnawaz and some parliamentarians. The committee will meet a delegation of nurses’ representatives at 11:00 am on Saturday.
The protesting nurses have nominated 14 colleagues as their representatives. Dr Elahi said the three top demands - the top demands included provision of a special pay package, a timeline for promotion and quashing of the FIRs registered against them on account of the protest - will be presented before the committee on Saturday (today). The committee will submit its final recommendations to the CM.
Civil Lines police have registered an FIR against the 300 nurses – 16 of them named - who protested on The Mall on Thursday demanding a raise in their salaries. The FIR includes charges of damaging government property and violating the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. An FIR has also been registered against 18 traders who allegedly threw eggs at the nurses. No arrests have been made.
Governor Sardar Latif Khosa also took notice of the protest on Friday and directed the inspector general of Police Punjab to conduct an investigation into the beating of nurses by police.
Meanwhile, the nurses’ protest continued for the second day on Friday as nurses from various hospitals gathered in front of the Lahore Press Club.
They were joined by Punjab PPP president Imtiaz Safdar Warraich and general secretary Samiullah Khan who pledged their support and criticised the Punjab government for making false claims of good governance.
Warraich said they had requested Raja Riaz to take up the issue in the Punjab Assembly.
Ayesha Ahad Malik arrived at the protest at 4 pm, saying she was representing civil society. She appealed to the CM to resolve the issue quickly. She said had the government anticipated the problem and resolved it the women would not have had to take to the streets for their rights.
Around 100 nurses from Children Hospital and Lahore General Hospital marched from Children Hospital to Model Town Mor at around 10 am and then joined nurses from Mayo and Services Hospital at around 11am. More than 300 including some from Bahawalpur, Vehari and Rajanpur marched to Charring Cross and protested in front of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The protestors then marched towards Lahore Press Club where they remained till 5 pm. Shazia, a nurse from Multan, told The Express Tribune that she and 14 other nurses will meet Dr Elahi. She said Dr Elahi their protest will continue on Saturday in front of the Lahore Press Club.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.