PDA Seeks Equal Perks For Doctors In FATA

Muhammad Irfan Published March 19, 2019 | 10:06 PM

The Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) has asked the government to provide doctors in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) allowances, salaries and other privileges at par with what health care providers get in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / NNI - 19th March, 2019) The Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) has asked the government to provide doctors in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) allowances, salaries and other privileges at par with what health care providers get in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.PDA held a news conference to demand the rights of doctors in Fata at Peshawar Press Club.They said doctors from Fata have been ignored in the recent promotion and allowance packages offered by the K-P government for doctors across the province.While the administration of Fata has nothing to do with the province, PDA President Dr Javed Iqbal and doctors from tribal areas who addressed the conference said they were hired by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission and work under the same rules and regulations.They argued they should also be included in incentive and increment packages offered to doctors in settled areas.

"Even though doctors in Fata were selected by the K-P government and work under the same rules, they have been ignored in with the new salary package announcement," said Dr Farman, a representative of doctors from Waziristan."We work under the most dangerous conditions possible and have no life security whatsoever," added Farman.He said given the difficult circumstances, doctors in Fata should be provided higher salaries,professional allowances and better security.The K-P government recently divided doctors into different categories on the basis of the conditions of the area they work in and announced privileges and salary packages for them accordingly.According to this formula, doctors working in far-off or dangerous areas would receive more perks.

The doctors from Fata said they have not been placed in any category even though they work in the most dangerous conditions. NNI