July 03, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 17, 1428

OKARA, July 2: Protesting against rising number of robberies, doctors in the public and private sectors in the district continued their three-hours strike. Hit by a `spate of robberies’ at their clinics and residences during the last six months, the doctors resorted to `agitation’ three days ago after another strike by outlaws and the police failure to identify and arrest any culprit.

The last victim was dental surgeon Dr Aamir Hafeez, whose clinic-cum-residence on the Faisalabad Road was plundered by four dacoits who took away cash and gold ornaments worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.

The ultimate sufferers of their agitation are poor patients who visit public sector hospitals.

District police officer Mirza Faran Baig has meanwhile invited the PMA to hold a dialogue over the issue.

According to PMA leaders, the police response in tracing the outlaws is casual.

Cardiologist Dr Zameeruddin Abid said Okara police were managing festivals in the name of public-police liaison but demonstrated indifferent attitude when it came to identifying outlaws.