QUETTA: Doctors in the capital city of Balochistan and other parts of the province continued their strike for a second day on Saturday demanding assurances from the government to provide security to them in public and private hospitals.

The strike called by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) was in response to an attack on senior doctor Sultan Tareen who was beaten up by some people at his hospital a few days ago. They also vandalised his hospital, creating fear among patients and employees. The doctors association also demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.

Chanting slogans outside the Bolan Medical Complex, Dr Abdul Malik Kakar, president of YDA, said: “The government isn’t serious about our demands.”

“We are done with talks and meeting provincial government and health officials and this time have decided to also boycott OPD wards till the government doesn’t fulfil our demands which are very basic,” he added.

Medical services were hit because of the strike. Several patients at various hospitals in the province faced difficulties as doctors and paramedical staff were unavailable to attend to them.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2019