MUZAFFARABAD, April 9: Dozens of doctors, paramedical staff and other officials of the health department held a demonstration here on Tuesday to condemn the ‘forcible occupation’ by the army’s Special Communications Organization (SCO) of a nine-kanal area, housing the offices of the director-general (health) and the central transport pool near the State Guest House.

The non-gazetted employees of the New Civil Secretariat observed a pen-down strike and staged a demonstration to protest against what they called the SCO’s “unlawful action”.

On Monday afternoon, armed SCO personnel took over the control of the offices of the DG and the central transport pool on the pretext that the court of the district and sessions judge has upheld the organization’s claim on the ownership of the land.

They laid barbed wires around the premises of the offices and a barrier at the entrance guarded by the men in uniform, some of whom even allegedly misbehaved with the health director-general, Dr Chaudhry Mohammad Akram.

On Tuesday morning, when the employees of both the offices turned up, much to their surprise they were asked by the SCO personnel to prove their identity for entrance into the premises, where two officers had camped in a tent.

The infuriated health department personnel, including doctors, paramedics and clerical staff gathered outside the office to protest the “highly irritating” step of the SCO authorities.

A senior health department official said the SCO’s claim on the land contradicted the factual position. He said that in 1996, the PWD had notified the allotment of six kanals and five marlas to the central transport pool and two kanals and 15 marlas to the health department.