QUETTA: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) announced an indefinite strike on Sunday, halting outpatient departments and elective services in all government hospitals across the provincial capital to protest an acid attack on a female doctor.
Twenty‑nine‑year‑old Dr. Mahnoor Nasir was critically injured at Civil Hospital when a coworker sprayed her with acid. Police identified the attacker as Humayun Shah, who was later killed in an encounter while attempting to flee on a bus.
After initial treatment in Quetta, Dr. Nasir was transferred to Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. Hospital sources said her condition is stable; she suffers bilateral corneal opacities but her vision remains intact. Plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists are monitoring her recovery.
Hospital employee Abdul Razzaq, captured on CCTV assisting the injured doctor, was discharged from a private Quetta hospital where he had been treated for burn injuries.
‘Selfless gallantry’
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti visited Karachi to inquire after Dr. Nasir and announced a civil award for Razzaq. In a post on X, the chief minister praised Razzaq’s “extraordinary courage, humanity, and dedication.”
MNA Aseefa Bhutto‑Zardari condemned the attack and urged President Asif Ali Zardari to confer the nation’s highest civilian award on Razzaq for his “selfless gallantry,” according to a statement from the President’s Secretariat.
Senate Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan and Balochistan National Party‑Mengal President Sardar Akhtar Mengal also denounced the assault, calling it a cowardly and inhumane act.
Indefinite strike
The YDA’s strike response reflects deep outrage over the incident, which members attribute to the privatization of hospital management and security services. They disputed police claims that the suspect was killed in an encounter, insisting that a live arrest was necessary for a thorough investigation.
The association presented a four‑point charter of demands to the government, stating that hospital services will remain suspended until their implementation.
Published in Dawn, June 8, 2026