Public inconvenience: Paramedics’ protest jams city roads

Paramedics Alliance demands service structure, regular jobs.


Our Correspondent February 08, 2012

LAHORE:


Paramedics blocked traffic outside the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for four hours on Wednesday in a protest for permanent jobs, choking the city’s stressed road network.


Some 200 members of the Punjab Paramedics Alliance blocked Jail Road from 2pm, causing traffic jams on one of the city’s main arteries and in nearby areas. Thousands of vehicles were held up near Lahore College, APWA College and schools in Shadman. Race Course Park, Shama Chowk and Canal Bank Road also faced huge jams. Traffic police were forced to divert traffic heading on Jail Road from Mozang.

Some ambulances were also caught up in the traffic, and there were reports of a woman dying en route to the hospital. The protesters eventually left after talks with Chief Traffic Officer Ahmed Mobin and the PIC medical superintendent.

Punjab Paramedics Alliance Chairman Malik Munir Ahmad said that the organisation was protesting for lower grade staffers at government hospitals.

He said that the government had made a service structure for all staffers from grade 5 and above, and now it should do so for grade 1-4 employees. Their other demands are for regular jobs and for a health professional allowance like the one given to doctors and nurses, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2012. 

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ