PESHAWAR, May 29: Laid-off employees of a hospital run by the Jamaat-i-Islami have demanded reinstatement in their jobs, removal of hospital’s chief executive and payment of gratuity to all employees.

Speaking to journalists at a protest camp set up outside the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, the members of the Muttahida Staff Committee of the Al-Khidmat Hospital, Peshawar, warned that they would take up the issue with provincial legislators if their demands were not met.

They alleged that a group of doctors had turned the health institution into a drudgery camp and squandered all its resources. They urged the provincial chapter of the Jamaat-i-Islami to end the involvement of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association in the affairs of the hospital whose doctors had allegedly denied services to poor people.

Last month, they claimed, the hospital administration had called the staff committee to discuss the gratuity issue. But instead of discussing the issue, the administration with the help of the Gulbahar police got them arrested.

Some political and social organisations’ leaders took notice of this illegal detention and got them freed.

The employees alleged that Dr Iftikhar, chief executive of the hospital, and his toadies had taken full gratuity, but the same had been denied to lower staff of the hospital.

They said the administration had announced 100 per cent increase in salaries of the official group, but it completely ignored the lower cadre of employees.

They urged the JI to order an inquiry into corruption and embezzlement of funds by the hospital management.

The employees warned that they would stage a protest demonstration in front of the provincial assembly during the budget session.