Imran Khan's 'Naya Pakistan' arrests doctors seeking Covid protective gear; Oppn shocked

Instead of providing the doctors and other medical staff, who are at the forefront in fighting the coronavirus pandemic with proper medical equipment, the Imran Khan government in Pakistan has allegedly suppressed their voices as they protested seeking their own safety.

Police baton-charges and arrests doctors

According to news agency ANI, Police in Pakistan has arrested doctors and medical personnel who are protesting inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other medical equipment. According to Pakistan's Young Doctors Association (YDA) president Dr Yasir Achakzai, YDA and paramedical staff in Balochistan staged a protest on Monday against the unavailability of PPEs in their fight against coronavirus, reported Dawn.

They were later baton-charged by security forces and dozens of them were arrested near Red Zone, he alleged. Razzaq Cheema, Quetta deputy inspector general police, confirmed that police had arrested dozens of protesting doctors which looks like an act of high-handedness.

'We assured we are serious in solving rest matters'

Following this, YDA announced the withdrawal of services from government hospitals. Khan said, "We suspend all our services following highhandedness of police." A video allegedly from the protest scene has also emerged as a proof of the arrests. In a tweet, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan announced that he met YDA doctors and assured them of his government's full cooperation in their battle against COVID-19 and in meeting their demands.

Khan was joined by PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in condemning police behaviour.

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PPP co-chair Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed the act as "state thuggery" and lashed out at the Imran Khan-led PTI government for the violence against the doctors. The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Monday soared past 3,600 with the maximum number of COVID-19 cases being reported from its Punjab province.

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(With ANI inputs)