>

PMA condemns murders, kidnappings and manhandling of Doctors

An emergency meeting of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Centre and PMA Karachi, was held at PMA house Karachi recently. Prof. S.Tipu Sultan - Immediate Past President, presided the meeting. It was attended by Dr. S.M. Qaisar Sajjad, Mirza Ali Azhar, Dr. Serajuddaula Syed, Dr. Shoaib Sobani, Dr. Shershah Syed, Dr. Qazi Wasiq, Dr. Hamid Manzoor, Dr. Ahmed Bhemani, Dr. Khalil Mukkadam, Dr. Usman Ghani, Dr. Najam Feroz Mehmoodi, Dr. Shaukat Malik, Dr. Naseer Baloch, and many other senior members of PMA.

This meeting strongly condemned the brutal murder of Dr. Faisal Ali, the 30 year old dentist, who was shot and killed in Karachi by 2 unknown gunmen. PMA officebearers also criticized the kidnapping of Dr. Shafiq Ahmed, from Defense Housing Authority, Karachi. Fortunately Dr. Shafiq has been recently released by the kidnappers, as it was a personal dispute which had led to the abduction.

The PMA meeting also took notice of manhandling of doctors by an unruly mob belonging to a political party at Civil Hospital Dadu.

According to a statement released by PMA - It seems that the Government of Sindh is totally unwilling to fulfill its responsibility of providing safety and security to the doctors. The Law enforcing agencies have miserably failed to curb these crimes. Unfortunately, The Judiciary is also not taking notice of this serious situation. Pakistan Medical Association feels sorry over the loss of lives of innocent doctors. Despite assurances of the high-ups of the law enforcement agencies, there is no stop to the killings of innocent doctors. The incidents of violence against doctors and paramedics have become an order of the day. Due to this violence and killings, sense of insecurity and uncertainty is increasing among the medical fraternity. Doctors are leaving the country for security reasons.

We demand from the government to provide security to all doctors otherwise a country wide protest may be initiated which will result in increase of the sufferings of poor patients, which PMA as a patient friendly organization does not approve.

PMA demands from the Federal Interior Minister, Chief Minister of Sindh, Chief Secretary, I.G Police and all other state Institutions which are responsible to maintain the Law and Order, to take an urgent notice.

PMA demands a fair compensation to the family of Dr. Faisal Ali. We also demand to arrest the culprits and bring them to the courts for justice.