QUETTA, May 22: Three patients, including a child, died in Quetta Civil Hospital on Sunday as they could not be operated upon due to a strike by doctors.

The doctors have been on strike for the last several weeks to press for a pay raise.

Hospital sources said that four-year-old Muzammil, who sustained bullet wounds when shots were fired in the air during a wedding ceremony in Qila Abdullah, was brought to the hospital in a serious condition. However, he could not be operated upon because of the strike.

He died shortly after reaching the hospital.

Ali Raza, who suffered bullet wounds in Hazara town, was also brought to the hospital, but died unattended by doctors.

The third patient who died was identified as Balach Khan, who was brought to the hospital in an injured condition.

Relatives of the three dead patients staged a demonstration outside the hospital and raised slogans against both the provincial government and the doctors.—Staff Correspondent