PESHAWAR, Oct 24: Hundreds of trainee nurses at the Khyber Teaching Hospital observed a strike on Friday against what they called  the inappropriate attitude of their chief nursing superintendent (CNS) and principal of the nursing school.

“The CNS and principal of the school deduct certain amount from students’ monthly stipend, which goes into their pockets,” said some trainee nurses while talking to newsmen.

According to them, the CNS deducted Rs200 to 800 from 35 students’s stipend last month which badly affected them because their total stipend was only Rs1,275 per month.

Principal of the nursing school told Dawn that the money was being deducted to keep a check on absenteeism. Nurses, however, alleged that they were not allowed to take their weekly off.