Medics protest against National Licensing Examination, term it unfair after passing MBBS
Zubair Qureshi
Violent crashes erupted between young doctors and police outside the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) in Islamabad Tuesday afternoon.
The doctors protesting against against the National Licensing Examination turned violent as the medical practitioners and the police clashed in the G-9 and G-10 area of the federal capital.
According to eye witnesses, doctors from various parts of the country were protesting outside the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) office and were chanting slogans against the NLE and the PMC president.
They stated that the practice of taking an NLE after they had completed their MBBS was ‘unfair’ and warned that if their demands were not accepted, they would ‘lock’ the PMC premises.
During the protest, some of the protesters entered the premises of the PMC building and started throwing stones at the building. Once the police intervened, physical fights broke out between the law enforcers and the protesting doctors.
Police fired tear gas shells and baton charged the protesters in an attempt to disperse them, more than 15 individuals were arrested.
A number of protesting doctors were arrested while the Young Doctors Association has warned of countrywide protests in case their detained fellows were not set free by Wednesday (today). While talking to Pakistan Observer, a member of the YDA said their protest was peaceful and based on principles.
The police baton charged the peaceful protesters, besides firing tear gas shells, he said. Several of our colleagues sustained injuries and were rushed to hospitals for first aid and medical care, he further said. Following the clashes, police took several young doctors into custody
