Police arrest protesting nurses after baton charge in Karachi

KARACHI/LAHORE (92 News) – Police on Thursday arrested many protesting nurses after baton charge near Sindh Chief Minister’s House in outside the Press Club in Karachi. It is worth mentioning here that the nurses were protesting outside the Press Club for increase in salaries and allowances. The protest of nurses entered in fourth day as they started to march towards the CM House when police stopped them and baton charge. The Press Club chowk turned into war zone after the clash between nurses and security forces in the metropolis. However, the police arrested many nurses and staff after the baton charge. The officers also manhandled the protesters and arrested some of them. On the other hand, the protestors staged a protest at the PIDC signal. Patients suffer as doctors go on strike in Punjab, KP Young Doctors Association staged protest across the Punjab against possible privatization of government hospitals. The workers of Pakistan Medical Association and para-medical staff were also among the protesters Patients suffered at the out-patient departments (OPDs) of all government-run hospitals in Punjab. Paramedical staff and nurses shut down the OPDs of public hospitals in all major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, and Faisalabad, to protest the proposed privatisation of the hospitals. The Young Doctors Association (YDA) said it won’t allow the government to privatise government hospitals and vowed to continue strike until their demands are not met. Meanwhile, the doctors continued their strike for a second straight day on Thursday at all government hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the proposed privatisation. The protesting doctors forcefully closed the OPDs of Lady Reading Hospital Peshwar and forced the doctors performing their duties to go out of the wards to take part in the protest. The doctors also took out a rally and threatened to close all health services, including emergency wards, if any action is taken against the protesting doctors.