Police baton-charge, arrest several protesting doctors in Karachi

KARACHI: Police on Monday baton-charged and arrested multiple protesting young doctors when they tried to besiege the Chief Minister House in Karachi.

As per details, the contract doctors, who are performing duties in the Covid wards and vaccination centres, were holding a protest for the acceptance of their demands. When the protestors tried to move towards the CM House, the law enforcers baton charged and arrested multiple doctors.

Addressing the demonstration, Young Doctors Association (YDA) Sindh Vice Chairman Dr Waris Ali Jakhrani said that a peaceful protest was their basic right and they would continue their struggle until their demands were accepted.

He said that working doctors were being deprived of their fundamental rights, adding that they would not accept this injustice for long.

Read more: YDAs to boycott OPDs in Karachi from Monday

Jakhrani claimed that all doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of the province were united and active and urged his colleagues to maintain the unity in future as well. A plan of future action would be chalked out in this connection very soon, he added.

Condemning the law enforcement agencies’ action, he said that they would not be afraid of such tactics and they would keep the momentum of their struggle unless the government of Sindh and the health department accept their demands.

He demanded the authorities to immediately release the arrested doctors and paramedics otherwise they would boycott all medical facilities across the province.

Earlier, different strategies in a meeting of the YDA office-bearers were discussed in detail to further strengthen the ongoing struggle and to lessen the difficulties of patients during the protest.

The YDA Sindh vice president said that the Sindh government was reluctant to resolve their basic issues and had turned deaf ear to their problems, therefore it had been unanimously decided that from Monday onward complete boycott of OPDs would be observed.

YDA’s Charter of Demands includes:

1. Risk allowance of PGs and HOs should be permanent and risk allowance of CHK PGs and HOs should instantly be released.
2. Stipend of PGs and HOs should be equal to PGs and HOs of Punjab and Islamabad.
3. Deputation policy should be clear: Paid and Central induction deputation policy should be introduced.
4. Central transfer of Government Service cum PGs of CHK whose training has not been completed.
5. Dental surgeon seats should be increased.
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6. All contractors should be regularized.