PIMS protesters issue final ultimatum

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) will observe complete closure of all kinds of medical services inclusive of emergency, as well as critical and cardiac care with effect from October 25 if the PIMS Amendment Bill is not presented and approved in the Cabinet meeting scheduled a day earlier.

The All Employees’ Movement for the Restoration of PIMS gave this final ultimatum to the government here Saturday at a mega procession organised within the hospital premises to reiterate its demand for separation of PIMS from the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU).

The protesting doctors, nurses, paramedical and non-medical staff of PIMS galvanized the support of politicians, member of trade unions, lawyers associations, ‘Ulema’ council, health organisations, as well as the civil society and media. Ironically, they used speakers in premises where even the use of horns is prohibited, and if half of the onus for such inappropriate behaviour lies with the protesters, the other half surely rests on the shoulders of the government, which has been delaying the matter for four years now.