SWABI: Doctors and paramedical staff of Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital Shahmansoor observed a strike here on Friday against attack on a senior doctor by relatives of a patient.

The protesting doctors and other staffers told mediapersons that on Thursday three people belonging to Jamalabad village had brought a patient to the hospital and due to rush Dr Mohammad Ishaq, the medical officer, had advised them that they should wait for a few minutes.

However, the people were in a hurry and demanded an immediate treatment of their patient.Later, the doctor and the visitors exchanged hot words, with the latter attacking the former, leaving him injured.

The protesting doctors said that in an environment of insecurity they could not work. They demanded that all the people involved in the attack should be arrested.

The hospital staff said Dr Ishaq had registered an FIR in Zaida police station against three accused persons. The protesters vowed to continue the strike till the culprits were arrested.

As a result of the strike, the patients suffered as they returned home without getting any treatment.

PPP-JUI-N ALLIANCE: Candidates of Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Nazriati (JUI-N),who had struck an electoral alliance at the district level, withdrew nomination papers in favour of each other in different constituencies on Friday.

The PPP candidates withdrew papers from NA-18, Swabi-I, PK-44, Swabi-II and PK-47, Swabi-V, wherefrom JUI-N’s Maulana Mukhlis, Tahir Tasleem and Nisar Ali Khan are contesting.

Similarly, the JUI-N candidates withdrew papers from NA-19, Swabi-II, PK-45, Swabi-III and PK 46, Swabi-IV, in favour of PPP’s Mohammad Naeem Khan, Sikandar Irfan and Abn-i-Aman are contesting.

However, PK-43, Swabi-I, has been kept open, where Mohammad Ishfaq Khan of PPP and Asif Karim of JUI-N are contesting on the tickets of their respective parties.

RESIGNATION ISSUE: Resignation of PTI district president Anwar Haqdad from his slot in protest against not being consulted on award of tickets has shaken the party and vigorous efforts are underway to persuade him to reconsider his decision.

It is learnt that Mr Haqdad had protested against the attitude of Shahram Khan Tarakai and his two uncles, who are contesting election from NA-19, PK-46 and PK-47, for not consulting him over the matter. Sources said Haqdad was kept in the dark by the Tarakai House leaders in award of tickets.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2018