Doctors give govt 10 days to ensure their security

Monitoring Desk

JALALABAD: At least two doctors have been killed, seven kidnapped and 40 others threatened over the past six months in eastern Nangarhar province.

During a sit-in in Jalalabad, the doctors warned of stopping work if the provincial administration failed to ensure their security within 10 days.

The called on security organs to take effective steps to provide security of them. Dr. Nawroz Shinwari, The Nangarhar Doctors’ Association head, said some of his colleagues were daily threatened over the phone.

Alleging illicit demands for money, he hit out at the provincial government and accused security officials of being appointed on the basis of nepotism, not merit.

As a result, he argued, the security personnel with political connections failed to maintain order in the province. They set the government and security agencies a 10-day deadline to take serious action to ward off threats to doctors; otherwise they would go on strike.

According to Shinwari, 40 Nangarhar-based doctors have received threats, two have been killed, seven abducted and five others injured over the past six months.

Dr. Sabahuddin Saba, Tuberculosis Experts Association head, also warned they would go on strike if proper attention was not paid to their demands.

Dr. Liaquat Adil, All Afghanistan Federation of Trade Unions (AAFTU) head, said doctor were an educated segment of society serving the ailing humanity and no one should create problems for them.

Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok four individuals suspected extortionists had been detained in operations by intelligence agents.