Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has announced a complete strike on March 17 and suspended all indoor and outdoor services in hospitals across Punjab. Addressing a press conference, PMA President, Shahid Rao, and General Secretary Kashif Chishti said that a doctors' convention would be held under the aegis of the South Punjab Doctors Association on March 22 to evolve a new strategy if their demands were not met.
The doctor's body criticised the chief minister who had failed to nominate a health minister in the province. The PMA also expressed concern over the arrest threats doctors had been receiving, saying that they would not be blackmailed by them. The association further said that the doctors were united and would never back out from their cause and mission. The PMA also appealed to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to intervene in the case and approve their demands of an increase in salary according to their cadres and scales.