QUETTA, Nov 17: The Balochistan government has asked the doctors on a strike against the kidnapping of a colleague to call off their protest within 24 hours otherwise action would be taken against them.

A meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani on Saturday, expressed unhappiness over the continued strike of doctors in government hospitals.

“All doctors absent from government hospitals should report to their duty place within 24 hours, otherwise, their private clinics will be sealed,” an official announcement said.

The Quetta deputy commissioner was told to prepare a list of private clinics owned by doctors working in government hospitals to ensure action against them.

The doctors have been observing the strike for the last one month in protest against the kidnapping of senior eye specialist Dr Saeed Ahmed Khan.

He had been kidnapped by armed men from the Sariab road area and kidnappers are demanding huge ransom for his release.

Dr Sultan Tareen of the Pakistan Medical Association rejected the warning of the government and said doctors would not call off their strike till Dr Khan was released.