QUETTA: Pakistani doctors went on strike at two hospitals in southwestern Quetta on Tuesday, a day after police used force to break up and detain medics protesting against a lack of gear to protect them against the coronavirus.
Hundreds of doctors and paramedics protested on Monday against what they said was failure by the government to deliver promised supplies. At least 30 doctors were detained by riot police for defying a ban on public gatherings during a lockdown introduced to fight the spread of the virus.
“We are on strike for the protection of our doctors and paramedics,” one of the detained doctors, Hanif Luni, a leader of the association that arranged the protest, told Reuters on the phone from his police holding cell.
He said that doctors stayed on duty in the cardiac and gynaecology departments for emergencies, adding that the strike had spread to other parts of the province of Balochistan, of which Quetta is the capital.
Pakistan has reported close to 4,000 coronavirus cases, including 54 deaths, of which over 200 cases are in under-developed Balochistan.
An official with Balochistan’s health department, Dr. Wasim Baig, said 14 doctors and 10 other medical workers had been infected by the virus in the province.
The provincial government says doctors working with coronavirus patients had been provided with protective gear and that the protesting doctors were not dealing with infected patients.
The spokesman for Pakistan’s disaster management authority, which is steering the country-wide effort to combat the virus, said Balochistan was given more safety kits than it needed for its frontline medical staff, including masks, coveralls, gloves and goggles.
“Our first priority is to cater to frontline doctors and staff,” spokesman Saqib Mumtaz told Reuters, adding that those not on coronavirus duty had also been given what they needed and would get more.
“We’re not short of gear,” he said.
Doctors strike in southwest Pakistan in row over coronavirus protection
https://arab.news/v4a8z
Doctors strike in southwest Pakistan in row over coronavirus protection
- At least 30 doctors were detained by riot police for defying a ban on public gatherings
- Pakistan has reported close to 4,000 coronavirus cases
Pakistan announces plan to develop Port Qasim into climate-resilient industrial complex
- Port Qasim handles 51% of Pakistan’s sea trade, facilitates Islamabad’s trade with Central Asian states
- Maritime affairs ministry says 833 industrial units currently operational at Port Qasim, with 40 under construction
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Ministry announced on Monday that it aims to develop Port Qasim into a climate-resilient industrial complex, saying the move would create jobs, usher in investment and ensure sustainable development for the country.
According to its website, Port Qasim is one of the largest contributors to Pakistan’s economy, handling 51 percent of the country’s sea trade. The port also connects directly to Pakistan’s national highway and motorway network, facilitating trade between Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.
Pakistan has recently attempted to upgrade its port infrastructure to handle higher trade volumes and improve connectivity between sea lanes and landlocked Central Asian states, leveraging its geographic position at the crossroads of South and Central Asia.
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting to discuss projects related to Port Qasim, the ministry said in a statement.
“During the meeting, a long-term plan for a climate-resilient industrial complex at Port Qasim was announced,” the statement said.
Chaudhry said Port Qasim would be developed into a global industrial and logistics hub, adding that it will become a “key gateway” for Pakistan’s national economy.
Officials briefed the minister that the development project for the port would cover an area of more than 14,000 acres. The port’s industrial complex has been divided into three distinct zones, with the eastern one designated for heavy industry and export-oriented units, and the northwestern zone for the promotion of value-added industries and port services.
The southwestern zone of the complex has been earmarked for special industrial and commercial activities, the ministry said.
Chaudhry said 833 industrial units are currently operational at the port while 40 are under construction. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernizing port infrastructure and improving road and rail connectivity.
“Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the Port Qasim Industrial Complex will emerge as a hub for employment generation, investment, and sustainable development,” the statement said.
Pakistan seeks to upgrade streamline port operations and enhance trade relations with regional countries as it seeks to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has put a strain on its resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis in the country over the past few years.
