Up in arms : Protesting KMC students baton-charged
Graduates take to the streets against reduction in house jobs.
Graduates take to the streets against reduction in house jobs. PHOTO: ONLINE
PESHAWAR:
Several fresh graduates of the Khyber Medical College (KMC) were injured after being baton-charged by the police outside Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) on Monday.
Around 230 graduates were protesting against the reduction in the number of vacancies for fresh graduates to complete their house jobs. “The administration has reduced vacancies to 180 without any reason or excuse,” said Halima Mukhtiar, one of the protesting graduates.
The graduates shouted slogans against the administration and demanded a withdrawal of the order which reduced vacancies. The protesters gathered outside Medical Director Dr Nadeem Khawar’s office and started chanting slogans against the administration.
“The actual number of seats still exists, but the administration wants to accommodate students of private medical colleges by taking bribes from them,” said Afrasiab Yousafzai, another graduate.
He said even clerical staff was hand in glove with senior officers and hired students from private institutes and those who do not deserve a seat on merit. Fearing an attack, MD Khawar called the police and a team led by Deputy Superintendent Tariq arrived at the hospital.
The police tried to push protesters outside the hospital and a scuffle broke out. After failing to control the situation, police resorted to baton-charging the protesters. As a result, around 16 students, including women, were injured. Later, office-bearers of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) joined the protesters and demanded suspension of DSP Tariq and MD Dr Khawar.
The protesting graduates threatened to continue with the demonstration till the officials were suspended. Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Siraj of YDA said there were a total of 230 vacancies in all three teaching hospitals of the city for fresh graduates. “As per the rules, the KTH administration is bound to accommodate 140 to 150 fresh graduates from KMC,” he said. He added the remaining students would be accommodated at the Hayatabad Medical Complex and LRH.
Dr Siraj maintained the administration was also bound to pay them proper salaries, but the medical facility claimed it was an autonomous body and refused to accommodate them. He also claimed that administration accommodated students low on merit and this was an injustice with talented and deserving graduates. “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council don’t recognise their MBBS degrees if they fail to complete their jobs,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.
Several fresh graduates of the Khyber Medical College (KMC) were injured after being baton-charged by the police outside Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) on Monday.
Around 230 graduates were protesting against the reduction in the number of vacancies for fresh graduates to complete their house jobs. “The administration has reduced vacancies to 180 without any reason or excuse,” said Halima Mukhtiar, one of the protesting graduates.
The graduates shouted slogans against the administration and demanded a withdrawal of the order which reduced vacancies. The protesters gathered outside Medical Director Dr Nadeem Khawar’s office and started chanting slogans against the administration.
“The actual number of seats still exists, but the administration wants to accommodate students of private medical colleges by taking bribes from them,” said Afrasiab Yousafzai, another graduate.
He said even clerical staff was hand in glove with senior officers and hired students from private institutes and those who do not deserve a seat on merit. Fearing an attack, MD Khawar called the police and a team led by Deputy Superintendent Tariq arrived at the hospital.
The police tried to push protesters outside the hospital and a scuffle broke out. After failing to control the situation, police resorted to baton-charging the protesters. As a result, around 16 students, including women, were injured. Later, office-bearers of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) joined the protesters and demanded suspension of DSP Tariq and MD Dr Khawar.
The protesting graduates threatened to continue with the demonstration till the officials were suspended. Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Siraj of YDA said there were a total of 230 vacancies in all three teaching hospitals of the city for fresh graduates. “As per the rules, the KTH administration is bound to accommodate 140 to 150 fresh graduates from KMC,” he said. He added the remaining students would be accommodated at the Hayatabad Medical Complex and LRH.
Dr Siraj maintained the administration was also bound to pay them proper salaries, but the medical facility claimed it was an autonomous body and refused to accommodate them. He also claimed that administration accommodated students low on merit and this was an injustice with talented and deserving graduates. “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council don’t recognise their MBBS degrees if they fail to complete their jobs,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.