Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): A group of angry lawyers on Wednesday stormed the emergency ward of Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore.
According to reports, at least four people lost their lives after doctors and nurses left the hospital amid the dispute and halted treatment of patients.
The dispute between lawyers and doctors escalated after a video of alleged torture on a lawyer by doctors went viral sparked dispute after which lawyers went out of control.
Videos of the incident shared on Twitter showed police officials, clad in riot gear, were rendered helpless as a swarm of lawyers, outnumbering the law enforcement personnel, broke the entrance of the hospital.
وکیلوں کے بلوے کا منظر ۔۔۔
— خرم ڈوگر (@zakir_Khurram) December 11, 2019
کوئی مذہب شخص یا مذہب دنیا میں ہسپتالوں پر حملہ کیا جاتا ہے ؟ pic.twitter.com/p4R0pPfote
Police is using tear gas and baton charge in an attempt to disperse the lawyers.
Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chauhan, who had arrived at the hospital, said that "lawyers had tried to kidnap" him. In a video, he is seen being manhandled by a group of protesting lawyers.
Young Consultants Association announced a nationwide strike after the violent protest. President of the YCA Dr Hammad Butt said that tomorrow no consultant will be on duty all across Punjab. "The vandalism by lawyers is highly condemnable," said Dr Butt.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken the notice of the incident and sought an initial report.
