Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has strongly condemned the use of state force, torture and arrests of doctors and paramedical staff in Peshawar and Islamabad. The association urged the government and protesting doctors to end the crisis by holding negotiations. President PIMA Punjab Dr Tariq Ismail and President PIMA KP Professor Muhammad Subhan said in a statement that Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar must provide the house job facility to all graduates of Khyber Medical College by observing the rules and regulations of the institution.
Health risk allowance for the federal hospital employees was approved by the previous government in accordance with the world health organization rules. It is difficult to understand why the government has withdrawn the facility without any reason. "We are not in favour of increasing the miseries of patients but standing firmly with the doctors' community asking for their rights and condemn the insult of the cream of society."
"The government should accept doctors' demands, release those arrested and penalise those involved in torturing the protesting doctors. The doctors should return to work while keeping their pressure intact. Intensification of forceful means, including treating arrested doctors as criminals and barring family members and colleagues from meeting them, will obviously add on to doctors' anger and will not solve the issue," they said.