KARACHI: The Federal and the Provincial Governments yesterday [Oct 6] declared the six-day-old strike of the junior Doctors as illegal under the Essential Services Act and directed all the striking doctors to resume duty this morning. The decision was announced first by Sheikh Mohammad Rashid, Federal Health Minister … and was … followed by Press Notes by the Provincial Governments to that effect. … It said that doctors who violate the law would be liable to be prosecuted under the Act which provides penalties including imprisonment and fine. — Staff reporter

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from New York,] Saudi Arabia’s Oil Minister said … he does not think the United States is in a position to do anything about the energy problem except “to cooperate with the oil countries.” In an interview … Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani said that as the Arab States become more powerful, a growing number of Americans will “realise that the real interest of this country is with the Arabs. …” He said the increase in the price of oil constituted no blackmail by the Arab countries. “Using economic forces to serve your political means is something that was not invented by the Arabs.”

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2024