Security concerns: Rejecting govt deadlines, doctors vow to continue strike
Govt had asked PMA to resume duties within 24 hours.
QUETTA:
The Balochistan chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has rejected the provincial government’s demand that doctors resume their duties within 24 hours and stated that they will continue the ongoing strike.
Expressing views in a press conference at the Civil Hospital in Quetta, PMA President Dr Sultan Tareen, accompanied with other doctors, alleged that authorities were supporting criminals in the province. He said that thieves, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals were running rampant in the province and no action was being taken against them.
“The government, bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies are supporting criminals. They are allowed to do whatever they want without any consequences,” Tareen complained.
He said that last year 25 doctors were killed and 12 were kidnapped without any arrest of the perpetrators and doctors were being threatened during their duty hours on a daily basis.
Tareen condemned the government notice – that demanded the doctors resume their duties within 24 hours – and said that Chief Minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani was not taking due action against the kidnappers, whereas doctors were continuously being targeted.
“The doctors will not be scared away and we don’t care about the Balochistan government’s notice. We will continue our strike in government hospitals.” Tareen added that future protests will be decided after the general body and core committee meetings.
“The identity of the people who kidnapped the doctors is known. If the government is not taking any action against them or providing security to the doctors, we will resign from our posts all over Balochistan,” he threatened, adding that the doctors will call an all Pakistan Doctors Conference, with participation from political parties and representatives from the civil society.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2012.
The Balochistan chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has rejected the provincial government’s demand that doctors resume their duties within 24 hours and stated that they will continue the ongoing strike.
Expressing views in a press conference at the Civil Hospital in Quetta, PMA President Dr Sultan Tareen, accompanied with other doctors, alleged that authorities were supporting criminals in the province. He said that thieves, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals were running rampant in the province and no action was being taken against them.
“The government, bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies are supporting criminals. They are allowed to do whatever they want without any consequences,” Tareen complained.
He said that last year 25 doctors were killed and 12 were kidnapped without any arrest of the perpetrators and doctors were being threatened during their duty hours on a daily basis.
Tareen condemned the government notice – that demanded the doctors resume their duties within 24 hours – and said that Chief Minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani was not taking due action against the kidnappers, whereas doctors were continuously being targeted.
“The doctors will not be scared away and we don’t care about the Balochistan government’s notice. We will continue our strike in government hospitals.” Tareen added that future protests will be decided after the general body and core committee meetings.
“The identity of the people who kidnapped the doctors is known. If the government is not taking any action against them or providing security to the doctors, we will resign from our posts all over Balochistan,” he threatened, adding that the doctors will call an all Pakistan Doctors Conference, with participation from political parties and representatives from the civil society.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2012.