Police performed their duty by stopping nurses: Rana Sanaullah
However, baton charge by police is 'regrettable,' he added.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that police – who turned the protest into chaos by using baton charge and injuring several nurses – was merely performing their duties. He said that personalities who participated in the nurses’ protest actually persuaded the nurses for media coverage and exploited the situation instead of convincing them to stop the protest; adding that their attitude is unreasonable.
Addressing media personnel following a meeting over South Punjab problems at Chief Minister House, Rana Sanaullah said that it is an order of high court not to gather for protest at Mall Road. He said that police merely performed their duty to stop the protesters adding that baton charge, however is ‘regrettable’.
Rana Sanaullah maintained that nurses’ attitude is not ‘praiseworthy either’ adding that continuing protest even after Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif’s assurance that no nurse will be terminated from her job is akin to disbelief in the government.
Law minister said that government has formed committee to address issues faced by South Punjab populace that will present its report in three days.
He said that the condition of those who call for division of provinces on linguistic basis is in front of everyone.
Earlier, Punjab Police stormed at protesting nurses outside Punjab Assembly with baton injuring several female nurses, one of whom is pregnant and in critical condition following the charge, Dunya News reported.
Following the violent attacks by police, nurses of Mao Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Allied Hospital and Civil Hospital of Faisalabad suspended services in all sections including emergency as protest. The protest blocked Mall road suspending traffic for several hours. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has sought the report of violence on nurses.
Adhoc nurses have had staged a sit-in protest at copper road and when they advanced towards Punjab Assembly, police along with lady constables stormed at them using baton in a bid to disperse them. Police also took over 10 nurses into custody and escorted them to unknown location.
Several nurses were wounded trying to resist the violent attack; with one of them – who is pregnant – critically injured and was rushed to Ganga Ram Hospital.
Following the news of attacks on nurses, the nursing staff of several public hospitals suspended activities as protest and came out in solidarity with the affected nurses.
The nurses of Multan’s Civil and Cardiology hospitals also joined suspended the nursing activities to show solidarity with the affected nurses.
Young doctors and nurses in Khushab closed down the OPD to convey their protest to the authorities. The Balochistan Nursing Federation has announced province-wide strike from Saturday.
The suspension of medical activities continues to affect the patients. Young Doctors Association has called general council meeting to discuss the violent attack on the nurses.
Sunni Ittehad Council has strongly condemned the attack. In a statement issued by Sahibzada Hamid Raza, he said that the government wants to negotiate with terrorists on one hand, and is attacking women on the other.
