SAHIWAL: The Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department transferred on Tuesday Sahiwal Medical College (SMC) Principal Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Tariq to Lahore.

Dr Tariq was facing allegation of ‘mismanagement’ and ‘victimization’ from doctors and they had been on strike for the last seven days from their work at the outpatient departments of the Sahiwal District Headquarters Teaching Hospital.

District and divisional administrations tried to bring the doctors to back to work but failed and later Commissioner Nadeemur Rehman persuaded them to open OPDs. On Monday, doctors agreed to work partially. Dawn learnt doctors opened OPD in more than 13 sections on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the principal had said that he had instituted an inquiry into the kidnapping of a newborn child from the hospital which enraged the doctors. Dr Zahid Kamal Saddiqi, professor of Ophthalmology withe the King Edward Medical College, Lahore, was given additional charge of the SMC principal office till further order.

PROTEST: Maize growers under the Pakistan Kissan Board (PKB) protested on Tuesday on Multan-Lahore Road against multinational hybrid maize seed suppliers for supplying them with the seeds which did not ‘pollinate’ or grew very less yield causing heavy financial losses to maize farmers. They also held a sit-on at the commissioner office where Commissioner Nadeemur Rehman met with them.

He assured them of meeting their demands. Dawn learnt from sources the commissioner has called a meeting of all stakeholders.

District PKB President Saeed Randhawa said farmers suffered Rs40,000 to 45,000 per acre loss because of the seeds. He said many farmers had sold their maize crops at Rs10,000 per acre as fodder.

Farmers demanded the local administration and the agriculture department take action against the seed companies. They also demanded financial compensation.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019