Health employees stage protest in Mardan

MARDAN: The health employees staged separate rallies and boycotted the services in the district on Monday to protest the use of force against their colleagues in Peshawar. The employees rallied outside the Mardan Press Club. Doctors, paramedics and other workers joined them. The rally was led by Sharafatullah Yousafzai president, All Pakistan Paramedical Staff Federation, Dr Ashfaq Ali Shah, president, doctors’ community, Taj Mohammad, head of paramedics at the DHQ Hospital, Alam Zeb Khan, president, class-four employees, Hakeem Khan, president Training staff, Saeeda Bibi, head nurse and others. The speakers demanded the release of their colleagues, including 14 doctors and three paramedics detained under Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance for a month. They demanded the registration of FIRs against Dr Nausherwan Burki, Health Minister Hisham Inamullah Khan and SSP Zahoor Afridi for taking action against the protesters. They threatened to stop institution-based practice and close private clinics if their demands were not met.