KARACHI: Nurses and junior paramedic staff marching from Zainab Market towards Governor House in a protest rally to demand time-scale promotions and that regularisation of their jobs were confronted by water cannon and teargas shelling on Wednesday.
The nurses and junior paramedics had earlier planned on staging a sit-in in front of the Chief Minister House.
Apart from the retaliation by police, 12-15 nurses and paramedic staff were also arrested by the police. However, late at night, on the directives of the Minister of Health Sindh, they were released without charge.
Nurses who were injured were shifted to Jinnah hospital.
Nurses protested that their demands were always rejected and that recurring refusals forced them to launch this protest.
The area where the protest was underway is considered to be a sensitive zone.
Nearly 5,000 nurses in the process have been campaigning for a Rs10,000 allowance for food and clothes, time-scale promotions, increased stipend for nursing school students, as well as professional health allowance and high risk and hard workers allowance.
The junior paramedic staff work in grades BS-1 to BS-4, and include laboratory, MRI, ECG and CT scan technicians, lady health visitors, naib qasids, sanitary inspectors, gardeners, store keepers, dispensers, security guards, ward masters, and nursing attendants.
Nurses boycott duties across Sindh
Nurses boycotted duties at government-run hospitals in Karachi and across Sindh in order to protest against police’s retaliation to the protest rally by nurses.
Earlier, the nurses had stopped working in OPDs and have now boycotted work in accident and emergency (A&E) and intensive care unit (ICU).
So far, the Department of Health Sindh has not issues any statement.
Sharmila Farooqui listens to nurses' demands
Sharmila Farooqui came to meet the nurses and listened to their demands.
“I have also been beaten by the police and I know how painful it is,” said Farooqui. “I did not like the footage where those women [nurses] were lying on the road – drenched in water after the water cannon attack.”
She said that she came particularly to free the arrested nurses and will further pursue their demands after their release.
COMMENTS (19)
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shame on sindh goverment. doob maro.....
@salim: But you cannot ignore the disparity in treatment between the vagabonds of (any) political party and those of professional health services provider.
Most of us are gonna need a hospital in our life time.
Had that been a matter involving two different provincial identities, MQM would have stepped in to secure the politics.
@karachian: For your info Interior Ministry is responsible for such action. The previous Interior minister laid the foundation for all evil prevailing in the city today.
Shame shame Shame
Karachi Police Tortured Mercilessly On Innocent Female Nurses and Dishonoured them In The Streets and Roads Of Karachi.It is Really Hurting and we sympathise with them.We Demond Sindh Govt: To Take Notice of the Torture Of Karachi Police On Nureses and Resolve their issue by communicating with concerned Ministery Of Health. NPIW Engineers,Sindh.
Shame on the authorities who ordred to water-cannon the protesters !!!
Protests like these should be carried out with alot of care.Our sympathies are with them.
Where are Pakistan leaders. Enjoying foreign trips in luxury at state expense while the country is suffering.
Dnt know where our country is directing for..sad...
Nurses should've protested wearings Burqas and with sticks in their hands. No one would've dared douse them with water then.
remind me again-these are the same police who stood by yesterday and let rioters bring Karachi to a standstill-shah bash-theyre brave against peaceful demonstrators and women
Why is it they're always aggressive towards non-violent protests and passive towards the violent ones? Well, I don't really need an answer to that.
What a pity, nurses has no right to protest peacefully against their rights to health ministry which is governed by MQM minister. When MQM held a protest in Karachi, she always made close down the whole Karachi and disturb the life with all aspects. Is it a democratic behaviour of MQM? To suppress the justified protest of people and encourage her own unjustified protest for her vested interests.
What a pity, nurses has no right to protest peacefully against their rights to health ministry which is governed by MQM minister. When MQM held a protest in Karachi, she always made close down the whole Karachi and disturb the life with all aspects. Is it a democratic behaviour of MQM? To suppress the justified protest of people and encourage her own unjustified protest for her vested interests.
What a pity, nurses have no right to protest peacefully against their rights to health ministry which is governed by MQM minister. When MQM held a protest in Karachi, she always made close down the whole Karachi and disturb the life with all aspects. Is it a democratic behaviour of MQM? To suppress the justified protest of people and encourage her own unjustified protest for her vested interests.
Shame on the Authorities, Give them their right