Punjab govt gives 24-hour ultimatum to young doctors

Pakistan

Punjab govt gives 24-hour ultimatum to young doctors

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The Punjab government has given a 24-hour ultimatum to young doctors to call off their strike.

02 April,2011 05:13 am

The Punjab government has given a 24-hour ultimatum to young doctors to call off their strike otherwise stern action would be taken against them under the Compulsory Service Act.This was decided in an emergency cabinet meeting headed by Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif.The government sources said that the doctors should accept the offer presented by Advisor to Chief Minister Zulfiqar Khosa.Terming the services of doctors attached to the Health Department “essential”, the government decided further that police be deployed at hospitals to ensure their smooth operation. “It has been decided to ensure that those who want to work should keep working and no one should be allowed to interrupt routine work,” an official privy to the meeting said.The govt maintained that the patients would not be kept helpless and doctors from private hospitals and other cities would be called in to facilitate the masses.Heavy contingents of police have been deployed in big hospitals Lahore including big cities like Rawalpindi.On the other side, doctors have rejected the ultimatum and vowed to continue the strike till their demands were approved. Meanwhile, 756 doctors would resign in Rawalpindi today.According to YDA spokesman Dr. Nasir Abbas said that the strike would continue till the complete acceptance of their demands. If the government does not need doctors, the doctors will not care for this too, Nasir concluded.