Balochistan doctors continue boycott on 3rd day

QUETTA: Doctors in the government and private hospitals of Quetta continued observing a strike Friday following the call of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Balochistan chapter and other organizations against the kidnapping of another doctor of Bolan Medical Complex (BMC), Geo News reported.

Unknown armed men abducted psychiatrist Dr Ghulam Rasool of BMC hospital from Brewery Road on Wednesday, two days after a kidnapped senior surgeon of the same college Dr Din Mohammad Bangulzai had been released.

Dr Rasool was on his way home after performing his duty at BMC when armed men intercepted him. They took him along to an unknown destination at gunpoint.

The paramedical staff along with doctors is boycotting their duties. Patients, especially from the far-flung areas are facing severe difficulties after the doctors stopped discharging their duties in the out patient departments (OPDs) and emergency wards.

The Balochistan government has formed a committee for the recovery of Dr Ghulam Rasool, however, no advancement has been made so far.

On Thursday, members of the PMA and other medical organizations took out a protest rally from the Civil Hospital in Quetta to the Press Club.

President PMA Balochistan Dr Sultan Tareen announced that doctors across Balochistan had stopped working in emergency wards of hospitals. He added that the strike would continue until Dr Rasool was released.