Colleague’s abduction: Doctors to launch protest from Dec 26

Demonstrations will be extended to other parts of the province.

HARIPUR:

Doctors’ Association Haripur (DAH) has announced a strike from Monday against delay in recovery of their colleague, who was kidnapped this month.

Doctors have also threatened to extend their protests to other parts of the province if the missing doctor is not recovered. The announcement was made by DAH President Dr Hasanain Turabi during a news conference on Wednesday. Dr Talal Ahmed, managing director of Yahya Welfare Medical Complex, was kidnapped from Haripur on December 2, while he was on his way home. The police confirmed the kidnapping after recovering the doctor’s car from Hattar Road along with his driver, who was hit by a bullet in his head.

Doctors are furious with the police for failing to recover their colleague. According to the police, they have not been able to record the driver’s statement, as he is still in critical condition at Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad, which is the main hurdle in the investigation.

Turabi explained that a one-hour strike would be observed in the first phase, during which doctors will boycott their routine work and wear black armbands as a sign of protest. If Ahmed is not recovered till Wednesday, the doctors would take out a protest in the city, he added. In the second phase, doctors from across Hazara will join the protest and extend the demonstration to other parts of the province and completely boycott their duties, said Turabi.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2011.