PESHAWAR, May 17: Paramedical staff at the Khyber Teaching Hospital on Monday observed a one-day token strike against what they called illegal suspension of staff members by the administration.

The association also announced a complete strike on Thursday, if the administration failed to restore services of the suspended employees. All staff members wore black arm-bands as a mark of protest against the suspension of several technicians by the administration of the hospital.

According to office-bearers of the paramedical association, the administration has resorted to using illegal tactics to browbeat and harass the staff. Several dispensers, laboratory, X-Ray and ECG technicians have been either suspended or charge-sheeted on flimsy grounds, they said.

According to them, a dispenser was charge-sheeted when he was found passing a stemin pin to a patient, who had been rushed to the orthopaedic ward in emergency with ankle fracture. Doctor on duty was not present, but no action was taken against him.

"A staff nurse and a dispenser were charge-sheeted and the doctor was spared. The dispenser was suspended on the ground that he performed duties beyond his job description," said the office-bearers of the association.

They said that three technicians were suspended after they were found asleep at 3:00am. They said that the paramedics, who performed night duties were supposed to be present for 12 hours, and it was impossible for them to remain awake for the whole night.

Another technician, they said, faced the suspension on the ground that he had allegedly approached higher authorities to obtain two years' leave from the hospital. They warned of a complete strike on Thursday if the administration didn't revoke the suspension orders of staffers.