BANNU: The Provincial Doctors Youth Forum on Thursday announced the closure of outpatient departments at three government hospitals in Bannu district from today (Friday) against non-payment of salary to its members for the last three months.

It also threatened to close the Indus Highway with the support and cooperation of local residents.

The young doctors, mostly those doing house job, staged a sit-in outside the DDO offices for the payment of salary.

They complained senior doctors hadn`t been paid salary for five months and junior doctors for three months. The YDA leaders, including Dr Hamid Khan, Dr Jibran, Dr Nisar and Dr Abdullah, told protesters that the doctors doing house job across the province had been getting salary regularly unlike the medics working in Bannu.

They announced ODPs at all three hospitals would be closed from today (Friday).They warned the health department, DDO and hospital medical superintendent would be responsible in case of any harm to patients during the strike.

JI FLAYS CENTRE: The Jamaat-iIslami has criticised the federal government for `not giving royalty of natural resources` to provinces and delaying the holding of the meeting on the next National Finance Commission Award.

`The centre is depriving smaller provinces of their legal and constitutional rights,` Jamaat-i-Islami provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad Khan told the JI district chief oath-taking ceremony here on Thursday.

Dr Nasir Khan, who was elected the JI district chief, took oath of office.

Mr. Mushtaq demanded the government merge Fata with KP before the next general elections.

He also said the government should apologise to the people of Fata over `excesses` against them.The JI leader alleged that all benefits of the multibillion dollar ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor project were being given to Punjab with KP being offered `lollypop` only.

He said the federal government had delayed the holding of population census to deny the due rights to KP, whose population had increased significantly over the years.

Mr. Mushtaq demanded the federal government compensate Fata people for damages suffered by them due to militancy and military action against militants, as well as allocate proper funds for their repatriation and rehabilitation.

JI central vice president Professor Ibrahim Khan, who was also present on the occasion, said his was the only political party, which regularly held internal elections in line with democratic norms.

He allege d that only a handful families controlled other political parties leaving common workers unable to securemajorposts.-Correspondent