Govt's apathy towards low-income class surfaces

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS)s nursing students demonstration till late Wednesday night was an evident proof of the apathy on part of the PPP-led government, as no Parliamentarian hailing from PPP bothered to express solidarity with them. Apart from the protesting students, the two of them with their fractured legs namely Sidra and Zaria were giving a clear portrayal of helplessness and misery on part of low-income classes. Senior official from the PIMS including the new Executive Director posted in place of Doctor Ghazala Mehmood, whose car had injured these student during the day, were all there to not only pacify the nursing students but also feed so-called positive stories to the media. The nursing students, who earlier started protesting in the premises of the PIMS for the increase in their stipends, were now forced to agitate against the acting Executive Director, whose car had injured a few of their colleagues. Now the officials from the PIMS including abruptly appointed new ED Dr Mehood Jamal were trying to convince the nurses that Dr Ghazala had been forced to relinquish her charge as ED. But the leaders of the nurses were asking for termination of Dr Ghazala that could enable registration of an attempt-to-murder case against her. According to sources in the police no case has been registered so far. Therefore, the protestors were of the view that they would not leave their sit-in place in front of the Parliament unless a case is registered against Dr Ghazala, a renowned gynaecologist in the capital city. The nursing students have termed hitting of the nursing students by Dr Ghazalas car as a gory crime, which according to them, was committed by driver on the directives of ED Dr Ghazala while sitting on rear seat of the said car. Ironically, as a result of growing protest, an FIR of the incident was registered against the EDs driver instead of her, who allegedly directed the driver for ramming over the protesting students. Enraged as well as determined female nursing students were of the view that they would not leave the spot unless an FIR of attempt-to-murder is registered against the ED.

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