MULTAN, March 20: House surgeons and internees of the dental section of the Nishtar Hospital observed complete strike on Wednesday in protest against non-payment of house job allowance to all BDS graduates.

The strike call was given by the recently formed Dental House Surgeons Association.

House surgeons and internees remained present throughout the day at the dental section of the hospital’s OPD but did not examine any patient.

They also displayed posters, placards and banners bearing their demand outside the OPD.

Meanwhile, Nishtar Medical College and hospital’s principal executive officer Dr Ashiq Pervez held a meeting with the protesting doctors.

He assured them of his full cooperation in getting their demands accepted. He assured the doctors that he would urge the board of governors of the institution — likely to be constituted within the next 10 days — to resolve the issue at the earliest.

On his assurance, the doctors postponed their protest for 20 days.

Later, association president Dr Aftab Raja told Dawn that if the government and the administration of the Nishtar Hospital failed to redress their grievance within the next 20 days, the dentists would resume their protest and would also move a court of law.