Tug of war: JPMC admin warns of arrests if doctors protest today

The protesting doctors demand reinstatement of Dr Jamali, Dr Ahsan.

KARACHI: In a tug of war between the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) administration and the Sindh government over the control of the entity, thousands of patients caught up in the strikes and boycotts continue to suffer.

On Monday, some doctors allegedly poured super glue inside the locks of the out-patients department. Karachi administrator Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi and deputy commissioner, South, Jamal Mustafa Qazi, arrived to negotiate with the protesting doctors but they were unable to reach an agreement. The administration announced that if the protesters continue to shut down the OPD services today (Tuesday), they will be forced to arrest them.

Following the three-day violent strike by JPMC doctors’ association against their executive director, Dr Tasneem Ahsan, and deputy executive director, Dr Seemin Jamali, the Sindh government on June 6 bowed down to the demands and announced the sacking of the two officials on charges that have yet to be specified.



The doctors’ association had blamed the two administrative officials for difficulties in getting salaries, promotions and smooth running of various JPMC departments. These charges were, however, denied by Dr Ahsan and Dr Jamali.

A group of doctors and paramedics, who are reportedly supporting the ousted officials started their protest drive on Friday and boycotted the OPD through the weekend till Monday. On an average day, over 5,000 people visit the OPD.

In the wake of this protest drive, the Sindh government appointed Prof Anis Bhatti, a professor at JPMC’s orthopaedic department, as the new executive director late on Sunday night. During this selection, The Express Tribune has learnt that the Sindh government allegedly ignored the seniority-list by leaving out the two female senior-most professors after the ousted Dr Tasneem Ahsan, namely Prof. Dr Shireen Bhutta and Dr Nagina Fatima.

This led the protesting doctors to give a 48-hour ultimatum to the Sindh government to revoke its decision of removing the two top-officials, as well as, the devolution of the institution, which they said comes under the federal legislative list. Past this deadline, the protesting doctors warned of a complete shut-down of the healthcare facility for an indefinite period of time.



Meanwhile, the sacked deputy executive director, Dr Jamali, told The Express Tribune that she and Dr Ahsan were not part of the doctors’ protests. “Their protest drive is for the sake of justice and not in favour of any personality as they want the government to roll back the devolution of this federal institution.”

Dr Jamali added that their applications against the sacking were accepted for hearing at the Sindh High Court in this week. Meanwhile, the committee formed by the Sindh government to probe into the incidents of violence during the doctors association’s three-day strike held its meeting on Monday. Both the top-officials recorded their statements before the committee members - Subhan Memon, the chairperson of the chief minister inspection team, and Siddique Memon, the sports secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.