Service structures: Court tells young doctors not to think of another strike

Seeks report from health secretary, tells doctors to resume their duties.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Monday barred young doctors from a strike on September 13 and September 17.

The court also directed the health secretary to submit a report on the current and proposed service structures for the doctors.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan is hearing a petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel, a public interest litigation group, against the young doctors’ protest scheduled for September 13 and September 17.

The court ordered the doctors to resume their work at the hospitals. It also suspended termination and transfer orders for doctors issued by the Punjab government and ordered the government to restart negotiations.

Earlier, a law officer had told the court on behalf of the government that negotiations were in progress with the young doctors, but meeting minutes had not been finalised yet.

The petitioner’s counsel said that the young doctors had again announced a strike which must be stopped.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the announcement of strike, the judge observed that while the court was trying to protect the doctors’ rights, they were not complying with court orders.

He warned the doctors against observing another strike and adjourned the hearing till September 17.

The petitioner had earlier said that the doctors’ strike was not only against the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) code of ethics, but also a violation of human rights. He requested the court to issue directions to the PMDC to cancel the licences of participating young doctors.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2012.