PIMS protesters invited for talks

Islamabad : The Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan has invited the leadership of the Federal Grand Health Alliance (FGHA) to his office on Monday for a dialogue on implementation of the Medical Teaching Institutes (MTI) Ordinance, which is being resisted by employees of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) through protest demonstrations that continued on the 26th day here on Thursday.

As against the above development, a section officer of PIMS has filed an application for registration of an FIR against PIMS protestors for creating a law and order situation in the hospital between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on December 23, interrupting the disposal of official business including the postponement of the purchase committee of PIMS. “You are requested to identify the culprits and register an FIR against them and take further action as per law,” the application states.

“On the one hand, the government is inviting us for dialogue, and on the other, it is resorting to various pressure tactics such as registration of FIRs to suppress our struggle. What outcome can one expect under such circumstances,” the Chairman of GHA Dr. Asfandyar Khan questioned.

Earlier morning on Thursday, employees of PIMS arranged a massive rally that passed through sectors G-8, G-9, G-10, and G-11 to mobilize the support of Islamabad’s residents in their struggle for the withdrawal of the Ordinance. Dr. Asfandyar Khan apprised people of the adverse impact of the Ordinance on common citizens and thanked the masses and traders for standing by them. He invited the people of Islamabad to join the protesters in their December 31 rally towards the Parliament House.

Spokesperson GHA Dr. Hyder Abbasi urged the Prime Minister not to listen to his advisors and to immediately suspend the Ordinance amidst the second wave of Covid-19. Dr.Faiz Achakzai said, the government should not repeat failed experiments. The Vice Chairman of GHA Riaz Gujjar and Chief Convener Arshad Khan vowed not to accept this injustice. The rally was addressed by several other protesters who charged the crowd with anti-government slogans.