National Party Urges Dialogue as Doctors’ Protest Deepens Healthcare Crisis in Balochistan
QUETTA: National Party leader and Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the Balochistan Assembly Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch has expressed serious concern over the escalating dispute between the Young Doctors Association (YDA) and the provincial government, warning that the standoff has developed into a major crisis affecting poor patients across the province.
In a statement, Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch said the Young Doctors Association has been protesting for the past three weeks, during which outpatient departments (OPDs) at government hospitals throughout Balochistan have remained completely closed.
He criticized the provincial government for what he described as a lack of engagement, claiming that no authorized official had contacted the protesting doctors or made serious efforts to resolve the dispute, allowing the situation to deteriorate further.
According to the opposition leader, tensions escalated after the YDA organized a protest rally and announced plans for a sit-in in Quetta’s Red Zone, which was prevented by the authorities. He said the doctors subsequently announced a boycott of all medical services.
Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch stressed that peaceful protest is a fundamental right of every citizen and urged both sides to show flexibility and return to the negotiating table.
He called on the provincial government to set aside political differences, immediately begin talks with representatives of the doctors, listen to their concerns, and address their legitimate demands on a priority basis.
At the same time, he expressed regret over the language and conduct of some protesting doctors, saying such behavior was not befitting members of the medical profession.
The National Party leader also appealed to the Young Doctors Association to reconsider its decision to boycott all medical services in order to reduce the suffering of poor patients who rely on public hospitals.
He added that the National Party, as an opposition party, is ready to act as a mediator between the government and the doctors to help resolve the dispute, reopen hospitals, and restore healthcare services for the public.
