Right to protest: Nurses scuffle with police, two injured
The nurses have been protesting against ‘sacking’ of ad hoc nurses by the Health Department.
A female police officer forcefully drags a nurse into the police van. PHOTO: ONLINE
LAHORE:
Two of the nurses at the Young Nurses Association (YNA) sit-in were taken to a hospital on Friday after police baton-charged a group that tried to block The Mall.
The protest demonstration entered the fifth day on Friday. The nurses have been protesting against ‘sacking’ of ad hoc nurses by the Health Department. They say they were not allowed to continue to work after their contracts expired recently.
On Friday, a group of nurses staged a sit-in in front of the office of the nursing director general. They later rallied to The Mall to sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly, where a session was in progress. On seeing them advance towards The Mall, where protests are banned under Section 144, women police were called to stop them. Some nurses scuffled with the policewomen when they were stopped near Charring Cross.
Police baton charged the nurses to disperse them. The baton charge continued for over 10 minutes.
Two nurses were injured. One of them was later identified as Amina Bibi reported to be seven-month pregnant. They were taken to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where Amina Bibi was said to be in critical condition.
As news of a nurse being injured in police action, nurses at Mayo Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital stopped performing duties and reached the protest site.
As rumors of Amina Bibi’s death circulated on media, the scuffle between the protesting nurses and the policewomen turned worse.
However, it was only after the Health Department authorities confirmed that she was under treatment, was when the situation was brought under control.
Young Nurses Association (YNA) president Rozeena Manzoor, who had announced to end the protest two days ago, also reached the spot as the policewomen and the nurses roughened each other up. The nurses, later, continued their protest on The Mall and had not stopped until this report was filed.
Five nurses, who were earlier arrested and detained at the Racecourse women’s police station, were released in the night after Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawja Salman Rafique, the Heath secretary and Nursing director general visited the police station for the purpose.
CM orders inquiry
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered a judicial inquiry into the violence. Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawja Salman Rafique told a press conference that the incident had shocked him. He said those responsible for ordering the baton charge would be held accountable.
He said the government had agreed to fulfill the legitimate demands of the nurses, but some of them were not willing to end the sit-in.
“The sit-in was creating problems for many people. This incident has hurt us. We have to see what triggered the baton charged and why,” he said. Earlier, some Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders also joined the nurses in their protest. PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said the violence against nurses was reminiscent of Zia days.
Young Doctors’ Association leaders also condemned the attack on nurses, and called it shameful.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2014.
Two of the nurses at the Young Nurses Association (YNA) sit-in were taken to a hospital on Friday after police baton-charged a group that tried to block The Mall.
The protest demonstration entered the fifth day on Friday. The nurses have been protesting against ‘sacking’ of ad hoc nurses by the Health Department. They say they were not allowed to continue to work after their contracts expired recently.
On Friday, a group of nurses staged a sit-in in front of the office of the nursing director general. They later rallied to The Mall to sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly, where a session was in progress. On seeing them advance towards The Mall, where protests are banned under Section 144, women police were called to stop them. Some nurses scuffled with the policewomen when they were stopped near Charring Cross.
Police baton charged the nurses to disperse them. The baton charge continued for over 10 minutes.
Two nurses were injured. One of them was later identified as Amina Bibi reported to be seven-month pregnant. They were taken to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where Amina Bibi was said to be in critical condition.
As news of a nurse being injured in police action, nurses at Mayo Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital stopped performing duties and reached the protest site.
As rumors of Amina Bibi’s death circulated on media, the scuffle between the protesting nurses and the policewomen turned worse.
However, it was only after the Health Department authorities confirmed that she was under treatment, was when the situation was brought under control.
Young Nurses Association (YNA) president Rozeena Manzoor, who had announced to end the protest two days ago, also reached the spot as the policewomen and the nurses roughened each other up. The nurses, later, continued their protest on The Mall and had not stopped until this report was filed.
Five nurses, who were earlier arrested and detained at the Racecourse women’s police station, were released in the night after Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawja Salman Rafique, the Heath secretary and Nursing director general visited the police station for the purpose.
CM orders inquiry
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered a judicial inquiry into the violence. Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawja Salman Rafique told a press conference that the incident had shocked him. He said those responsible for ordering the baton charge would be held accountable.
He said the government had agreed to fulfill the legitimate demands of the nurses, but some of them were not willing to end the sit-in.
“The sit-in was creating problems for many people. This incident has hurt us. We have to see what triggered the baton charged and why,” he said. Earlier, some Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders also joined the nurses in their protest. PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said the violence against nurses was reminiscent of Zia days.
Young Doctors’ Association leaders also condemned the attack on nurses, and called it shameful.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2014.