LAHORE, Feb 12: The Punjab chapter of the Young Doctors Association announced a protest campaign from Monday (today) for not reinstating senior doctors of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology.

The YDA will show its strength by blocking Jail Road today at 11am to get their demand fulfilled.

While the Punjab Health Department warned that any agitation, protest or strike by the doctors in the wake of PIC issue would be termed a violation of the Supreme Court order which had put a ban on such practices during the suo motu hearing of the case.

PIC chief executive Prof Dr Muhammad Azhar and medical superintendent Dr Jaffar Saleem had been sacked by the chief minister after more than 140 people died of drugs reaction.

YDA office-bearer Dr Javed said the final decision of launching agitation had been taken.

In the first phase, he said, doctors belonging to Services Hospital and PIC would block Jail Road today and the protest would continue till 2pm.

Dr Javed said the protest would be extended to other health facilities of the province from next day (on Tuesday) if the government delayed reinstatement of their senior colleagues.

To a question about the ban imposed by the health department on strikes at public sector health facilities in the light of the orders of the Supreme Court, he said protest against `wrong doings’ was the fundamental right of doctors.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the health department said: “The strike is a clear-cut violation of orders of the Supreme Court. As per the SC orders it is mandatory for all doctors and owners of pharmaceutical firms to extend complete cooperation in the PIC investigation.”

He said the SC had termed strike by the doctors a violation of fundamental rights of the patients, therefore, those observing the strike would not only commit the contempt of court but such steps would also be against the spirit of medical profession.

The spokesman appealed to doctors to abide by the SC orders and refrain from observing the strike.