KARACHI, Nov 21: About 12 doctors representing various doctors’ bodies observed a three-hour hunger strike at the PMA House on Wednesday as a token of their solidarity with the protesting doctors of Balochistan.

Members of civil society and some political parties also visited them and assured them of their support. The striking doctors pledged that doctors all over the country would continue to agitate until the demands of the Balochistan doctors were accepted.

After the release of the arrested doctors, now doctors of Sindh and Karachi were also concerned about the security of the doctors and other health professionals in Balochistan, said Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, general secretary of the Pakistan Medical Association.

Doctors belonging to the PMA, Sindh Doctors Welfare Organisation, Sindh Doctors Tehreek, Sindh Doctors Ittehad, including Prof S. Tipu Sultan, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, Dr S.M. Qaisar Sajjad, Dr Nawaz Mallah, Dr Shahid Qureshi, Dr Nisar Memon, Dr Mujtaba Memon, Dr Aziz Khan Tank and Dr Khalil Pathan, observed the hunger strike from 3pm to 6pm.

According to Dr Azhar, the token hunger strike was observed to show solidarity with the doctors tortured and arrested on Nov 19 in Quetta while they were holding a demonstration for the recovery of Dr Saeed Khan, who was kidnapped about a month back.

The PMA will hold another meeting on Thursday to review the situation related to the doctors in Balochistan. “If needed, we will continue the token hunger strike in the days to come as well,” said Dr Azhar.