RAHIM YAR KHAN: Various groups of the Shaikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH) employees under the banner of the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) organised a protest rally here on Thursday to save the future of more than 800 ad hoc and daily wages employees.

Members of the Young Doctors Association, the Pharmacists Association, the Young Nurses Association, the Pakistan Allied Health Professionals Organisation, the Pakistan Health Support Staff Organisation, the Young Paramedics Association, the Employees Welfare Association and the All Pakistan Clerks Association gathered outside the main gate of the SZMCH and marched on the DC Office Chowk where they staged a protest gathering.

Traffic remained suspended at the main city junction for more than half an hour. GHA leaders Dr Amjad Ali, Imran Arshad, Khwaja Naeem Tariq and Rana Muhammad Sufyan Zulfiqar spoke to the protesters and said more than 800 ad hoc and daily-wage employees of the SZMCH had been deprived of their permanent jobs for the last 10 to 15 years but performing their duties.

On the other hand, MS office staff wants to appoint new employees who will grease their palms, they alleged. They further said all these affected employees were awaiting inquiry of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department for the security of their jobs.

They said that after the verdict of the Supreme Court that any government employee who had three years of service had right of being regularised and it would not be noted that how he was appointed, action should be taken against the appointing authority who illegally appointed any person.

They said there were 1,600 vacant seats in the SZMCH and 846 employees could be adjusted there. The GHA leaders warned that the SZMCH system would collapse if these 846 employees leave their work for an hour. They demanded the transfer of MS.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2021