QUETTA: The Balochistan doctors’ province-wide strike against the kidnapping and murders of their colleagues entered its second on Friday, causing severe difficulties to patients from far-flung areas, DawnNews reported.

The Pakistan Medical Association’s (PMA) Balochistan chapter announced a three-day strike in protest against the kidnapping of their colleague Dr. Saeed Ahmed Khan.

The out-patient departments in all government hospitals remained completely closed, whereas general operation theatres and wards were boycotted by the protesting doctors.

However, the privately-owned hospitals and clinics experienced a rise in the numbers of patients due to the strike in the state-owned hospitals across the province.

Earlier, unknown gunmen had killed Dr Abdul Hamid Shahwani in Mastung on Oct 6 and Dr Dawood Aziz Jan was shot dead in Khuzdar on Oct 8. While, a renowned eye specialist, Dr Saeed Ahmed Khan, was abducted on Oct 16 by unidentified armed men from Quetta’s Sariab Road.

The state-owned hospitals have been closed at least three months during the current year due to the constant strikes in Balochistan in protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.