SAHIWAL, Sept 18: Hundreds of people threw traffic out of gear on Sahiwal-Noorshah Road for about two hours in protest against the DHQ Hospital's acting medical superintendent for his refusal to provide free medical treatment to the seven-year-old son of a labourer.

Sheheryar, the son of labourer Riaz, was admitted to the DHQ Hospital, but acting MS and EDO Dr Ishaq refused to provide him medicines free of cost. At this, the labourer got sanctioned the free medicines from the Zakat and Ushr funds through the competent authority.

By the time the labourer returned to hospital after completing all the formalities, the acting MS had gone to his office at the Government Qayyum Hospital, which is not more than one-and-a-half-kilometre from there. Riaz then rushed to Qayyum Hospital to get the MS signature on a form so that he could receive medicines from the Zakat fund. But the office of the EDO (Health) had closed. When he reached the residence of the EDO/acting MS, he was informed that the visiting hours for the citizens had been fixed between 11 and 2pm.

Disappointed as he was, Riaz returned to the DHQ Hospital. The relatives picked up the child and started protesting outside the hospital gate. Knowing about the miseries of the sufferers, commuters and other people also joined in the protest. Later, they blocked the road and raised slogans against the acting MS.

The police rushed to the spot and restored the traffic.