HYDERABAD, March 9: Doctors and paramedical staff of the Liaquat University Hospital boycotted wards, OPD and operation theatres and held demonstrations in the hospital and outside the press club here on Thursday in protest against registration of a case against six lady doctors of the hospital.

The Market police had registered a case against the doctors following the death of a woman, Shahzadi alias Shahida Sultana, who was operated upon for removing forceps, left in her abdomen during a Caesarean operation last year.

The boycott of doctors and paramedical staff resulted in sufferings for patients.

The doctors have threatened to enlarge the scope of the protest if the case against the six doctors was not withdrawn.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Arshad Abro, Dr Agha, Dr Shahzad Gopang and Dr Rehmat Bhatti said doctors always tried to save human lives, adding that no doctor would endanger a human life intentionally.

They said it was not proper to suspend a doctor or register a case against him for an inadvertent mistake. They said doctors could not perform their duties properly if they were subjected to harassment.

They took strong exception to raids on houses and wards of senior doctors.

They alleged that a particular group of terrorists and blackmailers was trying to harass and intimidate doctors on different pretexts. They said that under these circumstances, no doctor could concentrate on his job.

They said the registration of the case against the doctors was based on mala fide intentions.

They demanded that the suspended doctors should be reinstated and the case against them cancelled forthwith.

Faculty members of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences at a meeting held on Thursday expressed concern over the alleged exploitation of the death of Ms Shahzadi in the media.

Acting vice-chancellor Prof Allah Bachayo Memon presided over the meeting.

The meeting noted that doctors of the university hospital were working under adverse circumstances with almost no standard operating facilities which was the main cause of such accidents.

The meeting adopted a resolution demanding withdrawal of the FIR against the doctors within three days and urging authorities of the health department to improve working conditions in the hospital.

Expressing solidarity with the doctors, the faculty decided to continue to perform duties in the larger interest of the public. However, as a token of protest, the faculty members would wear black armbands till the withdrawal of the FIR.

It was also decided to seek appointments with the Sindh governor and the chief minister to apprise them of the prevailing poor conditions in the hospital.