ABBOTTABAD, May 12: The tug of war between doctors and the government entered a crucial stage when at least 11 senior doctors of Ayub Medical Teaching Complex and Hospital resigned as a protest against the government’s orders of Institution-Based Practice and have started practice in their private clinics.

The NWFP government has imposed a ban on the private practice of its employees and had instructed them to sit in government-run hospitals and medical centres for private practice.

Initially, the doctors were barred from private practice and after one-and-half month, only medical officers were allowed private practice, but not registrars and senior professors.

According to doctors’ spokesman 11 doctors have resigned and at least 30 others were thinking on the same lines. Those who have tendered their resignations include two heads of departments, Professor Khursheed Khattak (gynae), Dr Sajid Nazir Bhatti (neuro-Surgery), the only Neuro-surgeon in Hazara. Others included professors, associate professors and registrars with more then 10 years of experience.