On Tuesday, Dr. Khan and assistant professor Dr. Ziauddin Afridi exchanged heated words after a meeting chaired by Prof Nausherwan Burki, in which Dr. Afridi allegedly threw eggs at Prof Burki. Hisham Khan's guards are said to have physically assaulted Dr. Afridi later, which resulted in injuries to the neck and head of the surgeon.
An FIR was lodged against Dr. Afridi and three others for throwing eggs at Dr. Burki. However, no action was taken against Dr. Khan. The health minister maintained that he had acted in "self-defense". He also accused Dr. Afridi of holding a 'sharp object' in his hand.
Dr. Ziauddin Afridi was allegedly assaulted by guards of provincial health minister Hisham Khan.
Dr. Afridi, on the other hand, said that Dr. Hisham had used abusive language and ordered his guards to beat the surgeon.
Meanwhile, the chief minister took notice of the incident and ordered inquiry. The hospital administration later banned Dr. Afridi from entering the Khyber Medical College.
The doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday decided to go on a province-wide strike in all hospitals and private clinics after the police failed to register a case against the provincial health minister Dr. Hisham Inamullah Khan and his security guards for allegedly thrashing an assistant professor, Dawn reported.
“We will continue the strike until police register FIR against the health minister and his guards,” Dr. Siraj, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Doctors Council (KPDC), said. He added that the decision was taken by the body during a meeting held earlier today.
“All doctors are on the same page [on this matter] and demand a fair inquiry,” he said.