YDA hold rally in Quetta against police brutality, chants slogans against govt

QUETTA: Young Doctors Association (YDA) held a rally on Wednesday against police brutality that took place during a protest a few days earlier.

The rally proceeded from Civil Hospital to chief minister's secretariat where the doctors chanted slogans against the provincial government.   

The doctors will also light candles at the site where police had beaten them, the YDA president said.

 Responding to the situation, Chief Minister Jam Kamal said: "I know that the young doctors are coming to protest once again."    

Later, in a tweet, he wrote: "I have heard that YDA again doing agitation now."

"I wish they could serve and give thier energy and time more on addressing the emmergency what the people need," he said in a tweet.

Yesterday, the YDA announced an end to their boycott after reaching an agreement with the provincial government.

Provincial minister Zmarak Khan announced that the government had accepted the rightful demands put forward by the YDA. "We stand with doctors and the paramedical staff," he said during a press conference with the association's president, Dr Yasir Khan.

The YDA had announced a boycott of their services in hospitals across Balochistan on Monday after Quetta police baton-charged doctors for protesting near the CM House.

150 doctors were arrested for protesting against the lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in hospitals across the province to treat coronavirus patients.

"We are putting in all our efforts to win the war against the coronavirus," said Dr Yasir, lamenting that the same dedication was not shown by the government for their protection.

Yasir said that the YDA was ending its boycott and expressed the hope that the committee formed by provincial ministers to approve doctors' demands will keep their promises.

"We know the protest made life difficult for people," admitted Dr Yasir.