Daily Times

Protesters from the Sindh Nurses Alliance clashed with police in the city on Thursday.

Protesters were trying to reach the CM House from the Press Club when they were met with water cannons and baton charging by police.

As a result of the clash, traffic from Shaheen Complex was diverted to M R Kiyanai and Sultanabad.

Nurses under the banner of Sindh Nurses Alliance are protesting all over the province for an increase in salaries, promotions and hike in nursing student stipend for over two weeks.

Nurses have boycotted emergency services, intensive care units, pediatric intensive care units, pediatric emergencies, cardiac intensive care units and other services at the hospitals across the Sindh province.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of a nurses’ protest in Karachi and ordered Deputy Inspector General (South) Sharjeel Kharal to release the arrested protesters.

Chaos had ensued outside the Chief Minister House earlier when police resorted to the use of water cannons to disperse protesters who had gathered to demand an increase in wages for nursing staff and restoration of service structure. At least 25 people were arrested.

The protesting nurses said that the government was not serious in holding negotiations with them. They warned that the protest will not be called off until their demands were accepted.

The chief minister said that there was “no reason to protest” after negotiations between SNA and health secretary. He said that “it was regrettable that a political party wanted to politicise the issues”.

Nevertheless, Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab arrived at PIDC to hold talks with the protesters and Murad also directed Provincial Health Secretary Saeed Awan to resolve the nurses’ problems immediately.

On the other hand, Private Nursing Institutes Association of Pakistan (PNIAP) President Qayyum Marwat urged the federal government to continue diploma in nursing (3 years diploma program) for sake of nursing profession and introduce Generic Nursing Education Program gradually in the country.

This he said while addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club along with Secretary General PNIAP James Waat, representatives of Young Nurses Association Abdul Wahid Rind, Nomi Bashir, Abdul Wajid Khan, Intazar Marri, Madam Garees and others.

Qayyum Marwat welcomed federal government step to develop nursing education and training on modern lines in the country through introducing Generic Nursing Education Program but he demanded to the President of Pakistan, Prime Minister, Federal Minister for Health and provisional health ministers to continue Diploma in Nursing (03 years Diploma Program), as well.