Voice of discontent: Doctors hold sit-in outside K-P Assembly

Protest causes massive traffic jams across the city

PESHAWAR: All private clinics in the provincial capital remained closed on Friday as doctors associations held a sit-in outside the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly.

Doctors have been protesting against the proposed Health Care Commission Bill 2015 which was tabled in the provincial assembly earlier this week. Doctors, however, warned to agitate if the proposed law was enacted, saying their demands have not been taken into consideration.

On Friday, doctors convened at Lady Reading Hospital from where they moved towards the provincial assembly building, chanting slogans against the K-P government.



The Provincial Doctors Association, Young Doctors Association, Peoples Doctor Forum, Islamic Doctors Form, Malgari Doctoran, Insaf Doctors Forum, Teaching Association and Pakistan Islamic Medical Association all participated in the sit-in.

The protesters blocked Khyber Road, causing immense problems for commuters travelling from General Bus Stand towards University Road and Hayatabad. Massive traffic jams were witnessed in the city from noon till 3pm.

The protesters carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the provincial government and health minister, urging the health ministry to consider their demands.

Addressing demonstrators, Provincial Doctors Association Chairman Shah Sawar said the government had failed to facilitate doctors, who were now compelled to protest for their rights. He said they will never allow anyone to abolish the autonomous status of the Post Graduate Medical Institute.

Shah said their protest would be extended to other parts of the province if the government fails to accept their demands.

Among the government’s proposed changes are a ban on government doctors practicing at their private clinics and replacing the Health Regulatory Authority with the Health Care Commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2015.