ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: Services of several contractual doctors working at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) have been terminated. As many as 14 doctors were issued termination of service orders out of which eight were dismissed with immediate effect. The services of the remaining six doctors will be terminated in the second week of September.

The affected doctors said they had been hired on contract basis by the Pims administration and were deputed at different departments as medical officers. They said their performance had been up to the requirement and their superiors were satisfied with them. However, after the contract period ended, their services were terminated.

The doctors were of the view that since the administration would be hiring 40 more doctors, it would be appropriate if their contracts were extended instead of making fresh appointments as there had been no complaints about their performance. They said there had always been a shortage of medical officers at Pims so they could easily be adjusted there.

The affected doctors have appealed to Federal Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan and Health Secretary Anwar Mahmood to review the decision on humanitarian grounds.

They said they had families to support and depriving them of their jobs would be unfair. They said they had given several years of their lives to this institution, therefore, it would be very difficult for them to restart their careers all over again.—Our Reporter