GUJRANWALA/MULTAN - In view of the strike announced by the young doctors, the Pakistan Medical Association stepped forward on Thursday and kept the "Emergency, Indoor and Outdoor" at Civil Hospital operational by wearing black armbands in protest against the assault on senior doctors.
As per detail, senior doctors of the Pakistan Medical Association stepped forward to dispense treatment patients in Emergency ward along with Indoor" and Outdoor of the Civil Hospital Gujranwala. Senior doctors registered their protest against the manhandling of senior doctors by wearing black armbands. While elaborated security arrangements were put in place to avoid any untoward incident at the hospital. On Thursday, former YDA official Dr Hassan Jameel submitted his written apology and joined his duty despite the strike announced by the young doctors.
Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Anwar Amanullah while talking to The Nation said that a doctor's duty was to care for the humanity as this profession had a cognitive element of care for humanity. It is our foremost duty to dispense healthcare to the patients and for this purpose we have stepped forward to ensure provision of health facilities to the masses," he added. The MS also denounced the manhandling and assault on senior doctors, saying that such incidents were regrettable. Meanwhile, female Young Doctors Association (YDA) officials along with the family members of the detained YDA officials staged a protest in front of Commissioner Office, demanding release of the detained YDA officials.
Reportedly, 11 doctors were arrested for assaulting senior doctors and media men, injuring more than 45 mediamen at Civil Hospital on Wednesday. On the other hand, Civil Judge Muhammad Asif granted two days judicial remand of seven doctors including YDA Gujranwala President Dr Kashif Bilal, Dr Ahtisham, Dr Kashif Bashir, Dr Farasat Ali, Dr Abdullah, Dr Tahir and Dr Waqas for the recovery of pistols.  Dr Fariha Kashif, wife of the YDA Gujranwala president while talking told this scribe alleged that cases registered against the YDA officials were baseless and demanded release of the arrested doctors.
In MULTAN, the young doctors observed a strike against the arrest of their comrades, although all the hospitals and Out Patient Departments (OPDs) remained functional on Thursday. The young doctors did not turn up at the wards, but senior doctors kept all the wards functioning. Heavy police contingents were deployed at all hospitals to avert any untoward situation. However, no unhappy incident took place as the young doctors did not appear at any hospital.
The patients condemned anti-patient behaviour of young doctors and asked Punjab government to take strict action against them.