LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has lauded the role of doctors in the improvement of health sector and provision of medical facilities to the patients and said that the striking doctors should immediately call off their strike unconditionally.

He was addressing a meeting of senior doctors, vice chancellors, principals and professors at Chief Minister's Secretariat on Wednesday.

He said that negotiations with the doctors could only be held if they ended their strike. He said that if the doctors called off their strike and assumed their responsibilities, their genuine demands would be considered with the consultation of senior doctors.

The chief minister constituted a committee comprising senior doctors, public representatives and senior government officers and directed it to submit its recommendations as early as possible.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Special Assistant Kh. Salman Rafiq, Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Chief Secretary and Secretary Health were also present on the occasion. Senior doctors made a unanimous appeal to the chief minister to pardon the striking doctors.