The Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Sunday announced an indefinite strike across government hospitals in Quetta, suspending Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) and elective services in protest against an acid attack on a female doctor at Civil Hospital in Quetta.
The decision was announced during a press conference, where YDA leaders condemned the attack on 29-year-old Dr Mahnoor Nasir and demanded action from the government.
Dr Nasir sustained serious injuries on Saturday after a fellow hospital employee threw acid on her inside Civil Hospital Quetta. Police later identified the suspect as Humayun Shah and claimed he was killed in an encounter after being traced while attempting to flee on a bus.
Following initial treatment in Quetta, Dr Nasir was shifted to Karachi and is currently receiving treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital. Hospital sources stated that her condition is stable, however, she has bilateral corneal opacities, a condition that causes scarring on the eye’s surface, but her vision remains intact. Plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists have also examined her.
Meanwhile, Abdul Razzaq, a Civil Hospital employee who was seen assisting Dr Nasir in CCTV footage following the attack, has been discharged from a private hospital in Quetta after receiving treatment for burn injuries.
Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan, Sarfaraz Bugti, visited Karachi on Sunday to inquire about Dr Nasir’s condition and announced that Abdul Razzaq would be awarded a civil honour for his actions.
In a post on X, Bugti stated that Razzaq had shown “extraordinary courage, humanity and dedication” by helping his colleague during the incident.
MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the attack and, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat, requested President Asif Ali Zardari to confer the country’s highest civilian award on Razzaq for his “selfless gallantry”.
During the press conference, YDA leaders criticised the privatisation of hospital management and security services, holding it responsible for the security lapse that led to the attack.
They also questioned the police account regarding the suspect’s death, arguing that he should have been taken into custody alive so that all aspects of the case could be investigated.
The association presented a four-point charter of demands to the government and stated that hospital services will remain suspended until those demands are met.
