ISLAMABAD: The employees of health facilities in Islamabad have withdrawn their strike during which outpatient departments (OPDs) of all public sector hospitals and dispensaries were to be closed from Monday (Sept 1).

The announcement was made on the intervention of Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. He visited Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Saturday and convinced the employees to withdraw the call.

The strike call was given against the attitude of Health Minister Mustafa Kamal who allegedly misbehaved with the employees and suggested them to close the hospitals as he will not be able to play his role in increasing their salaries.

The employees had urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to seek the resignation of the minister and appoint “someone from the medical field who understands the importance of nursing and allied health professionals”. They had also announced a boycott of the polio campaign.

However, Dr Chaudhry assured the employees that he will play a role for the restoration of health allowance and requested them to withdraw their strike call.

The core committee of the Federal Health Alliance (FHA) convened a meeting, attended by representatives of Pims, Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (Nirm), National Institute of Health (NIH), Federal General Hospital, Capital Development Authority (CDA), TB Hospital and the DHO office and it was decided to withdraw the strike call.

A representative of the employees, Chaudhry Qamar Gujjar, while talking to Dawn, said Dr Chaudhry took responsibility for the restoration of the health allowance. “He assured us that next week a meeting will be arranged with the state minister of finance to resolve the matter. He also assured that the unpleasant incident at the Ministry of Health would be addressed,” he said.

During a meeting, Pims Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikander also appealed to the officials to withdraw the call.

Chairman of the core committee of FHA Kaleemullah said the health allowance was employees’ fundamental right and the struggle will be continued until its restoration.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2025