TOBA TEK SINGH, July 1: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has protested against the levy of health tax on private practice of the doctors in the district.

The concern was expressed at a PMA's general body meeting which was presided over by its president Dr Naseer Ahmed here on Thursday.

The meeting passed a resolution which said that doctors were already paying income tax, property tax, provincial government trade tax and professional tax and levying of health tax was entirely unjustified.

It warned that the doctors would close down their private hospitals and clinics in protest if the district government did not withdraw the health tax. PMA secretary-general Dr Afzal Duggal, Dr Maqsood Anjum, Dr Humayun Manzoor and other office bearers also spoke on the occasion.

RECOMMENDED: The district Education Department Merging and Nationalization Committee has recommended the merging of around 30 schools in the district with big schools of their respective areas.

The committee meeting was held on Thursday with District Officer (Education) Chaudhry Muhammad Yaqub in the chair. The meeting discussed the committee report and decided that at least 30 schools having only 20 or less students would be merged with other nearby schools.

The meeting was also attended by DDEO Abdul Qayyum, Begum Musarrat Iqbal (Toba), Begum Iqbal Akhtar (Gojra), Begum Bilqees Rashid (Kamalia) and Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad (Kamalia).

ELECTROCUTED: A minor boy was electrocuted on Wednesday night at Kamalia. Muhammad Talha (5) was playing in the house when he suddenly touched a live electric wire. He died on the spot. The deceased was the nephew of Kamalia press club secretary-general Rana Amjad.