KARACHI, March 10: The outpatient department of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital remained closed for at least two hours on Monday morning as doctors went on strike.

The strike was said to have been due to doctors against whom administrative action had been taken and who closed down the OPD for more than four hours.

The hospital administration said that apart from putting up banners demanding the immediate resignation of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital’s top-ranking officials, the striking staff had punctured tyres of the only ambulance of the hospital.

The medical superintendent of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Dr Masood Javed, told Dawn that the striking doctors had stayed away from work from 9am to 11pm. “They had an 18-item list of demands, including the resignation of the hospital medical superintendent and the deputy medical superintendent. We have informed the higher authorities about the strike.”

He added that a meeting had taken place at the office of the Sindh Local Bodies Minister, Mohammad Hussain, at which an inquiry committee was set up. The inquiry committee would submit a report on the strike within 10 days, he said.

The medical superintendent said that the executive district officer, health, of the city district government and the district coordination officer had visited the hospital.

The deputy medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Mohammad Khalid, said that administrative action against doctors had been taken for not marking their attendance and absenting themselves from work. “The strike was staged according to a plan. Minister Mohammad Hussain was present as the striking doctors closed the outpatient department.”

When contacted, the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, said the strike had been staged by the activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement “who want to take over the administration of the hospital now that many development projects are in the final stages.”

“All those who took part in the strike belong to the Medical Aid Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Tenders worth millions of rupees have been called. Similarly a development project worth Rs40 million is about to be initiated. That is why the MQM wants to take over the administration of the hospital,” he said.

The Nazim alleged that the strike had been monitored by the MQM Minister, Mohammad Hussain, who had been present while the striking doctors had closed the outpatient department.

Mr Hussain was not available for comment.