LAHORE, Jan 22: Ten of the 18 doctors arrested on Wednesday for their part in a strike action remained in the police custody on Thursday. They will be produced before a magistrate on Friday.

While the contracts of at least 20 junior doctors were terminated on the orders of the health secretary, sources say.

A protest broke out by around 40 doctors gathered outside the Principal’s Office at Ganga Ram Hospital. Young doctors raised slogans and demanded the release of all arrested doctors in 24 hours.

Police maintained a heavy presence at government hospitals throughout the day, including Mayo, Services, General and Jinnah.

According to a source in the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), several doctors from Jinnah and Services hospitals were arrested but later released after negotiations with hospital administrators, professors and parents.

Dr Chatha, assistant medical superintendent at Services Hospital, told Dawn that he along with Superintendent Dr M Javed and some of the ward professors had pleaded with police last night to secure the release of most of the doctors. Nevertheless, he said, five remained in custody. Around 20 policemen were stationed at Services Hospital, where much of the outpatients work was conducted by senior doctors and professors. Outpatients work was also carried out by senior doctors at Children’s Hospital.

SSP (Investigations) Zulfiqar Hameed told Dawn that 10 doctors were being held by the police and would appear before a magistrate on Friday (today).

Dr Yasmin Rashid of the PMA said an executive body meeting would be convened today (Friday) so that PMA could decide how to proceed. The doctors in police custody are Dr Rai Ahmed, Dr Nasir, Dr Yasir, Dr Imran, Dr Usman, Dr Kamran, Dr Mansoor, Dr Saleem, Dr Shafqat, and Dr Ali.

The doctors whose contracts have been terminated are Dr Farrukh Mahmood, Dr Ghulam Qasim and Dr Nasir Abbas from Children’s Hospital, Dr Mohsin Ali, Dr Khalid Mahmood, Dr M Naveed, Dr Fahim Anwar, Dr Usman Khalid, Dr Tariq Ali, Dr Abu Bakr, Dr Naeem Khan, Dr Rehana Khawal, Dr Kashif Rasool, Dr Raja Farrukh, and Dr Hafiz Sanaullah from Jinnah Hospital, Dr Hamid Butt, Dr Aftab Ashraf, Dr Hassan Shakeel and Dr Usman.