Medics meeting marred by allegations, scuffle.

Byline: Asif Chaudhry

LAHORE -- The young doctors community seems divided after its two senior leaders in a meeting on Thursday reportedly clashed physically when one of them levelled serious accusations against his colleague for showing loyalties with the Punjab government to debilitate the movement of protesting employees against enforcement of the Medical Teaching Institutions Ordinance.

Young Doctors Association Punjab president Dr Qasim Awan and Grand Health Alliance chairman Dr Salman Haseeb scuffled in a meeting held at the Lahore General Hospital, when Awan and his colleague Dr Amaar Yousaf accused Haseeb of having 'backdoor contacts' with senior government officials.

An insider said intense arguments started between them shortly after Salman Haseeb said that he would solely represent the striking young medics in a meeting of the high-powered committee constituted by the Punjab government to start dialogue on MTI Ordinance and the protests.

Two office-bearers accuse each other of debilitating strike over MTI law

Headed by Punjab additional chief secretary Sardar Ajaz Ahmad Khan Jaffar, the committee comprised five other members including senior medics of public sector medical institutions.

The source said the YDA Punjab president strongly rejected the proposal of his [rival] colleague in the meeting claiming that he (Salman Haseeb) failed to make a successful strike at the Services Hospital where he was doing job.

He said Qasim told the meeting that the young doctors completely observed strike in OPD and indoor departments of all the government teaching hospitals of Punjab.

He alleged that the Services Hospital was the only teaching...