ISLAMABAD: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Tuesday brought their protest to an end, outside the Pakistan Medical Association (PMC) building against the National Licensing Exam (NLE). The decision of bringing the protest to an end came after a discussion with the Islamabad deputy commissioner.
“From tomorrow, everyone will protest in their respective hospitals,” the YDA president stated after 20 of their colleagues were apprehended by the police earlier in the day following clashes.
As per the authorities, the protesters damaged state property.
A statement by police suggests that the young doctors threw stones at them and the PMC building, which resulted in the police baton charging the demonstrators and besides firing tear gas shells. The police had to arrest the demonstrators eventually.
Later in the day, a 5-member delegation of the YDA held a meeting with the deputy commissioner of Islamabad. During the meeting the government official asked the demonstrators to clear the roads, as soon as possible, but the demonstrators insisted that they would do so, once the police let go of the detained medics.
It is pertinent to note that the YDA had earlier demanded the release of their detained colleagues, saying that if the administration does not let them go, then the organization would hold protests across the country.
On the contrary, the YDA claimed that the protests were peaceful. However, the police negated their claims, saying that use of force would not have been done if the protests were protests.
