PESHAWAR
The Young Doctors Association KP chapter has threatened to march on the home of the province’s governing party’s chairman in Bani Galla if their demands are not met and the YDA protestors in KP not reconciled.
The statement came from the President of the YDA KP chapter, Dr Gulab Noor, who said this speaking to Pakistan Today. The stance comes after Dr Gulab Noor was terminated from his position as a Medical Officer in the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. The former MO and Provincial President of the doctor’s association said 3 doctors had also been terminated alongside him including Dr Amjad, and Dr Hameed.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Dr Noor said that himself and the other doctors were not privy to any inquiry that had been made and that they were simply given termination notices on July 20 signed by the Medical Director of the Lady Reading Hospital, Prof Dr Muhtar Zia. The disgruntled doctor revealed that while the matter of the YDA protests was an ever evolving situation and that the YDA had thought negotiations were continuing, the termination notices had come as a surprise despite the pronounced hostilities between the administration and members of the YDA.
He further said that only a few days prior to the termination, the doctors had been asked to file their suggestions so as to dent out the matter cordially. However the doctors were never contacted regarding their suggestions and were simply notified as to their termination.
“What kind of situation is this where we are asked to submit suggestions and next thing we know is we have been terminated? They claimed an inquiry committee had found us guilty of inciting and subverting other doctors but we never knew about any such thing. How can we know the proceedings were fair or even happened?” argued the aggravated young doctor.
He further added that according to new information they had received, the Associate Director of the Lady Reading Hospital, who he claims is the “main menace” behind the YDA’s predicament was the one to head the inquiry committee against them and was a biased judge.
“After such action we will continue to protest. Our hunger camps and sit ins are still on going and we will turn up the pressure against the authorities. We are not very rich and the only way we can have our demands met are by coming out to the streets. We will also challenge our termination in the high court because all we can do now is go to the courts.” he told Pakistan Today.
“After this all we can do is march on Banni Gall and take our demands to Imran Khan. If it comes to it, we will sit outside his home until we are given justice,” he added.
Meanwhile Media manager of the Lady Reading Hospital, Zulfiqar, speaking to Pakistan Today that the doctors had been notified on the charges of subverting and inciting anger in other doctors, as well as interfering in the professional conduct and standard of care owed to patients of the hospital.
“Everyone is more than aware about the context, and history of the YDA. They have a bad repute because they abandon their duties as doctors and leave the public without anyone to care for them. This is no new matter and Dr Gulab Noor has only been terminated after a thorough, fair and complete investigation into his actions.” he said.
Furthermore the Lady Reading Hospital representative added that Dr Gulab Noor was a notorious leader of the YDA and that he had in the past been known not only to subvert the authorities and actively go against policy directives, but was also famous for pressuring other young doctors into supporting his and the YDA’s actions.
Former wife of PTI chairman Imran Khan and TV journalist Reham Khan also commented on the issue saying about the termination of Dr Gulab Noor that it was hypocritical of the PTI government to remove persons from service for protesting against the authorities as they themselves were a party of protest.
“Removal from service if you protest against policy. This order from the Gov of the party of protest,” she said.