Instead of commendation, AC orders arrest of health worker

CHITRAL: An official of the district administration of Upper Chitral ordered the arrest of a health worker at a function held to recognize the services and hard work of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The function was held on the direction of the KP chief minister to appreciate and encourage health workers fighting against the coronavirus on the completion of 100 days of the outbreak.

Sources present at the function told ChitralToday correspondent that one of the health officials, Ibadullah, raised an objection after finding his name missing in the list of health workers whose services were being recognized.

But instead of including the name of the health worker in the list, the AC ordered the police to arrest him.

This left the participants of the function appalled and many of them protested against the highhandedness of the AC.

As a result, the health worker was released.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Haiderul Mulk expressed disappointment over the incident. He said Ibadullah had been on the coronavirus duty since the outbreak of the diseas.

He said for the last over three months  Ibadullah had not taken a single day off and even on the death of his cousin he did not go home and remained on the coronavirus duty.

He said he persuaded the paramedical staff not to go on a strike keeping in view the prevailing health crisis.

The DHO also said he would bring the incident into the notice of higher authorities.–Bashir Hussain Azad