PESHAWAR - At least 10 protesters were arrested and 25 injured when police baton-charged young doctors staging demonstration to press for their demands at Hayatabad Medical Complex here on Tuesday.

Hayatabad Medical Complex turned into a battlefield when the police and protesting doctors scuffled with each other. However, it added to the woes of patients and their attendants.

The protesting doctors affiliated with the Young Doctors Association (YDA) belonged to Lady Reading Hospital and were trying to force their colleagues to lockdown the hospital as a protest in favor of their demands. The doctors at Hayatabad Medical Complex rarely go on strike and prefer to attend patients, but on Tuesday, a clash erupted when the doctors came to the complex and asked others doctors to stop discharging their duties.

The hospital administration imposed 144 in the hospital and directed the police to baton-charge any person who would deteriorate the peaceful environment of the hospital.

The doctors when started protest in the lawn of the hospital, the police first tried to stop their protest but when the situation went out of their control, they started baton-charging the protesters.

At least 25 doctors sustained injuries and 10 others were arrested. The arrested doctors were shifted to the lockup of the Tatara Police Station where FIRs were lodged against them.

Talking to The Nation, Young Doctors Association patron-in-chief Dr Alamgir said that they were holding a peaceful strike, but the police resorted to baton-charge which injured 20 of their colleagues.

He said their strike would continue at all hospitals on Wednesday, adding that Young Doctors Punjab chapter president will visit the hunger strike camp of the doctors and assured them their full cooperation. He demanded that until the restoration of PGMI and Security Act for the doctors, they would not call off their strike and would continue protest in favour of their demands.

Adviser to Prime Minister Amir Muqam also visited the hospital and condemned the baton-charge on the doctors. He said the PTI government using police against doctors and they were not serious to resolve the problems of doctor’s community.

When asked about the incident, Health Minister Sharam Tarakai said doctors broke all the records of atrocities against humanity and the poor patients which was a matter of grave concern.

He said that action would be taken against those doctors who were leading the protest and they might be terminated from their services as per the rules and regulation.

He added that the doctors were taking highest salaries in all over the country and despite that, they are not serious to provide healthcare facilities to the poor patients who were coming from far-flung areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Provincial Information Minister Shah Farman said that the PML-N leader, Amir Muqam, encouraging the doctors for strike which aimed to thwart PTI reforms agenda.

He said that those doctors who are hurdle in the way of reforms would be terminated from services and now there is no excuse, despite getting huge salaries.

The young doctors are protesting for the last two months demanding restoration of PGMI, compensation to the doctors, killed in various incidents and security legislation for the doctors.

Meanwhile, the patients from far-flung areas suffered due to strikes by the young doctors at Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar and Sheikh Zaid Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan here on Tuesday.

The young doctors at the Hayatabad complex staged a protest for the acceptance of their demands. They also tried to close the OPD, but the police foiled their attempt. This resulted in clash between the young doctors and the police personnel deployed to maintain peace and order.

A large number of poor people, who had come from far-flung areas for treatments, had to suffer due to the strike by the young doctors. In RahimYar Khan’s Sheikh Zaid Hospital, the doctors went on strike and closed the OPD to demand the release of their colleague who was arrested by anti-corruption officials on the charges of corruption.The young doctors vowed not to end their strike till the release of the doctor from the custody of the anti-corruption department.

Reports said that one protesting doctor fainted due to head and was shifted to a hospital.

The closure of OPD made hundreds of people to suffer and go back home without any medical aid in the extreme summer heat and having fast. Witnesses said many of them were in critical condition and needed immediate medical attention.

PROTESTS BANNED OUTSIDE KP ASSEMBLY, HOSPITALS

Sightseeing security uncertainty, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has imposed ban on protest demonstrations in front of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and other public places.

Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Saqib Raza Aslam under the section 144 Cr.P.C imposed banned on protesting at the KP Assembly gate, Rehman Baba Square, Jail Road, Circular Road, GT Road, Mall Road, and all the hospitals across the Peshawar district.

Anyone found violating this order shall be preceded under Section 188 of PPC. This order shall come into force forthwith and shall remain enforced for a period of 30 days, unless it modified or withdrawn.