KARACHI – All doctors working in public and private hospitals throughout Sindh would observe a strike for two hours today (Friday) to protest against the increasing incidents of murdering doctors.
Only emergency cases would be considered during the strike. However, all wards, the outdoor patients departments, and routine checkups and surgeries would be postponed for two hours.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Karachi announced the strike call on Thursday in a meeting held at the PMA House to condemn the brutal murder of yet another doctor, ENT specialist Dr Imran Wasi, who was shot dead near the Lyari General Hospital. Dozens of doctors attended the meeting and expressed grave concern over the incident.
“These incidents are being repeatedly ignored by the Sindh government, the police and the personnel of the law enforcement agencies deployed in different parts of the city who have drastically failed to protect the Karachiites, particularly the doctors’ community,” PMA Karachi President Dr Idrees Adhi said.
He said that despite assurances, the doctors’ fraternity is suffering, and murders of professional doctors have become routine. He demanded the government to wake up and provide them protection.
“If doctors are not given protection and their killings continue, then we would have no other option but to call an indefinite strike in the province,” he warned.
Meanwhile, condemning Wasi’s murder, Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed assured the doctors yet again that they would be provided protection and that Wasi’s killers would be brought to book.
