KARACHI:Young doctors’ protest in Quetta entered its 20th day on Tuesday boycotting out-patient departments (OPDs) and operation theatres (OTs) in the provincial capital’s hospitals.

The protesting physicians contended that the boycott of OPDs will continue till their demands are met. They also warned the authorities that if their demands were not met, they will extend the scope of their protest. Despite the Balochistan High Court order, the protest of paramedical staff and the young doctors is ongoing.

Provincial Minister for Communications Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran also reprimanded the behaviour of the doctors and said that doctors are saviours and it is erroneous to close OPD. He further said that the demands were beyond the doctors’ jurisdiction.

On November 28, police had arrested 19 doctors and paramedics staff for staging a protest sit-in and blocking roads linking the city’s Red Zone with its other areas. The doctors were protesting near the red zone area seeking fulfilment of their demands. Earlier, the Balochistan High Court had also asked the doctors to end their protest sit-in.

Police had also lodged FIRs against the arrested people for violating the Criminal Law Ordinance (passed on November 27 that banned rallies, processions and sit-ins on streets, roads and highways) and coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs).