LAHORE, Feb 10: Various parties on Sunday criticised the Punjab government and the police for torture of young doctors protesting for their rights.

The Awami Workers Party’s Lahore chapter condemned the assault on the protesting doctors and their arrest from the hunger strike camp. In a statement, AWP Lahore President Zahid Pervaiz said the doctors were on strike for their “legitimate demands” and should have been allowed to meet Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

He urged the government to resolve the issue without delay, also seeking action against the police officials who didn’t spare even a PPP leader during assault on the protesting doctors.

Jamaat-i-Islami ameer Syed Munawar Hasan also hit out at the police for cracking down on the young doctors during their peaceful protest. He called for stringent action against the police officers responsible for the brutal treatment of the doctors resulting in serious injuries to some of them.

The JI ameer urged the government to adopt the path of dialogue with the protesting doctors and stop their victimisation by way of transfers and dismissals. He also appealed to the young doctors to return to emergency duty.

In a separate statement, JI Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch deplored that the government was deliberately avoiding talks with the young doctors on hunger strike, which was further complicating the situation. He said both the government and the ailing people were suffering because of the deadlock.