LAHORE, Feb 18: The broad daylight killing of senior eye surgeon Prof Ali Haider and his young son sparked anger among the medical fraternity in Punjab.

The medical associations announced observing ‘Youm-i-Soug on Tuesday (today) at all medical institutions and health facilities in Punjab in protest against the killing.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the murder and directed acting Inspector General of Police to immediately arrest the culprits.

In separate statements issued on Monday, the Punjab chapter of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Medical Teachers Association (MTA), Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), General Cadre Doctors Association and Young Doctors Association (YDA) strongly condemned the killing of the senior eye surgeon and demanded judicial inquiry.

Hundreds of senior doctors, medical teachers, students and even several patients reached the Hali Road residence of the slain professor.

Senior doctors termed the killing of Prof Haider an irreparable loss in the discipline of ophthalmology.“Dr Ali Haider was among a few professors with unique qualification in the ophthalmology field,” said Dr Tariq Salahuddin, the professor of neurosurgery at PGMI.

He said Dr Haider enjoyed great respect in the medical community for his polite and humble behaviour and also as being a devoted teacher.

Prof Salahuddin said the deceased had left the KEMU and joined the LGH to uplift the ophthalmology department for the underprivileged and poor patients visiting there from Kasur and nearby villages.

He said that Prof Haider was among a few senior doctors who had played a key role in establishing Ameeruddin Medical College.

“The PGMI/LGH doctors have lost a colleague who had no enmity or differences with anyone”, Dr Salahuddin lamented.

Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami called a combined meeting of office-bearers of the PMA and MTA at the PMA House shortly after the fatal attack on the LGH senior eye surgeon.

The house condemned the killing and demanded that the government should direct the police to arrest the culprits immediately.

It also unanimously decided to observe a ‘Youm-i-Soug’ on Tuesday at all medical teaching institutions and hospitals in Punjab.

Prof Nizami said all medical teachers and other doctors of the provincial capital would attend the funeral prayers of their slain colleague at his Hali Road residence on Tuesday while district branches and local medical associations of other districts would offer his funeral prayers at 11am in their respective institutions.

In a separate statement, PIMA President Dr Misbahul Aziz asked the security forces and the government to provide protection to citizens irrespective of their caste and sect otherwise the country would be devoid of skilled and professional people who had already started moving abroad in large numbers.

The PIMA president also demanded a judicial inquiry into the murder of a senior doctor. “The senseless and constant target killings in Karachi, Balochistan and other cities should immediately be stopped,” he said.

GCDA President Dr Masood Sheikh demanded a comprehensive national policy to stop sectarian violence in the country.

He said the government should acknowledge the services of the slain senior doctor in the medical profession and award him Sitara-i-Imtiaz.