LAHORE: The Punjab chapter of the Young Doctors Association has warned of a strike in all public sector hospitals of the province for not releasing their colleagues arrested by Islamabad police when they were protesting for their demands.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday at the Jinnah Hospital Lahore, YDA Punjab President Dr Danish Awan said the young medics were protesting peacefully in Islamabad to sensitise the government to their legitimate rights.

He said the police attacked them, tortured and later arrested many of them which was against the mandate given by the public to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government.

The YDA president said hundreds of young doctors and medical students had reached outside the office of Pakistan Medical Commission, Islamabad, to lodge a protest against the National Licencing Examination (NLE) which was their fundamental right to raise voice.

He said the federal capital police allegedly attacked the medics, baton-charged them and arrested more than 20 of them who were yet in their custody.

Mr Awan said the arrest of the protesting medics caused resentment among their colleagues and warned that the YDA Punjab would suspend healthcare services province-wide for not releasing them within 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2021