LAHORE: At least two doctors suffered injures when rival groups of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) had scuffles at the Mayo Hospital here on Saturday.

The groups that clashed were being respectively led by Dr Shaharyar Khan Niazi and Dr Shoaib Khan Niazi.

According to witnesses, the clash sparked when Dr Shaharyar Niazi, along with some of his colleagues tried to shut down the outpatient department (OPD) of the Mayo Hospital Lahore in reaction to his (Dr Shaharyar)’s suspension from the postgraduate training.

They said during their round of the hospital Dr Shaharyar Niazi and his supporters exchanged hot words with Dr Idrees Niazi, brother of Dr Shoaib Niazi. The two sides later scuffled when Dr Idrees refused to abandon the patients. As Dr Shaharyar and his men were in a good number, they allegedly beat up Dr Idrees who suffered injuries.

At this Dr Idrees immediately called his brother for help.

The witnesses said a physical clash again took place between the two sides when Dr Shoaib Niazi arrived there flanked by some of colleagues who gave a tit-for-tat thrashing to Dr Shaharyar Niazi and his friends.

Consequently, Dr Shaharyar also suffered multiple injuries. Both the groups later talked to the media leveling allegations against each other of “misuse of power”.

Following the clashes, the situation remained tense at the Mayo Hospital the whole day as both groups kept trying to muster support of other medics against each other.

Later, a partial strike was observed at the institute.

A similar incident took place at the Jinnah Hospital Lahore where a group of young doctors tried to close the OPD while another resisted them.

The YDA Punjab central leadership, however, remained silent on the growing tension between the two factions of the association.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2016