PESHAWAR: Young Doctors Association (YDA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday warned that it would launch a province-wide protest movement if the provincial government failed to announce a salary increase for doctors in the upcoming budget.

Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club alongside other office-bearers of the association, YDA leader and president of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Dr Adnan, said doctors would resort to demonstrations and lock down hospitals across the province if the government did not implement the recommendations contained in a summary prepared by the health secretary.

According to Dr Adnan, the summary was prepared following successful negotiations and a sit-in held by thousands of young doctors outside the Health Secretariat a few days ago. He said the proposal recommended a 40 to 50 per cent increase in doctors’ salaries.

“We demand that the provincial government and the health minister ensure full implementation of the proposal in the budget. Otherwise, we will be left with no option but to protest,” he said.

Dr Adnan warned that this time the protest would not remain limited to hospitals but would also extend to roads including demonstrations outside the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the health minister’s office and the finance department.

He said emergency services for patients would remain operational during the protests to minimise inconvenience to the public.

Dr Adnan argued that doctors had not received any meaningful salary increase since 2016 and claimed that their current pay structure had remained largely unchanged for the past decade.

He expressed concern that budgetary relief and incentives were regularly announced for other government employees while doctors continued to be overlooked.

“Our demands are not unreasonable. We hope the government, which claims to stand for justice and reforms, will address our concerns and announce a fair increase in doctors’ salaries,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, YDA leader Dr Babar reiterated that emergency healthcare services would continue even during any future protest campaign.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026