In a discussion on the topic “Doctors’ strike and people’s difficulties and its solutions” held on Sunday under the auspices of Quetta Press Club, participants concluded that both the protesting doctors and government should bring flexibility in their attitude to end the suffering of the people.
The main speakers at the meet were Balochistan Health Secretary Asmatullah Kakar and Doctors’ governing council head Dr Saadat Khan, while Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid chaired the discussion. People hailing from various segments of the society, including doctors, journalists, lawyers, social workers and traders attended the event. Urging protesting doctors to show flexibility, Kakar urged media personnel and lawyers to mediate between both sides. He said there could be some misgivings on the government’s part but the doctors also made mistakes by taking their movement to a point of no return leaving no route for reconciliation.
He said that doctors took a stubborn stand, leaving a population of 10 million without medical assistance. He further said the government was ready to consider all legitimate demands of doctors, including provision of security which was the main issue. The health secretary stated the government was concerned about the security of doctors and a plan was being envisaged to provide them with security during a meeting with the protesting doctors but unfortunately a final decision could not be reached. He asserted that every citizen had a right to record his protest in accordance with the law, adding that doctors violated the red security zone during their protest upon which action was taken against them. Kakar said doctors had announced continuation of the strike in emergency wards even during Muharram, forcing the administration to take the control of emergency wards.
