Complying with LHC, Young Doctors call off strike

LAHORE: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab called off its strike on Sunday and announced they would resume duties in OPDs and Indoor Departments from 9:00am Monday, to comply with the Lahore High Court’s decision.

At a press briefing at Allama Iqbal Medical College, YDA Punjab Dr Nasir Bokhari said doctors were calling their strike off and accepting court orders, however, so far the government hadn’t withdrawn police officials from hospitals. He said that although the doctors were calling their strike off, their fight for the service structure would continue.

He said the court had directed the Punjab government to fulfill its proposals regarding service structure within 15 days and if it doesn’t do so, YDA Punjab has the right to go back on strike again.

“Whenever we are pushed to the wall and our rights are violated, we will go back on strike,” he said.

Earlier the Lahore High Court (LHC) has instructed government-employed doctors to return to work at all hospital wards and end their strike completely from Sunday, while also suspending termination, suspension and show cause notices issued to the striking doctors by the Punjab government.

The court had also directed the committee set up to review the doctors’ demands to start negotiations with the Young Doctors Association (YDA) and conclude them within two weeks, while regularly updating the LHC on the minutes of committee meetings.