Pakistan: Thousands of doctors strike over murders

Thousands of doctors in Pakistan went on strike today in protest at the murder of their colleagues in the port city of Karachi.

Since January, at least 13 doctors - most of them belonging to the minority Shiite Muslim sect - have been shot dead by gunmen believed to be followers of extremists Sunni Muslim groups, police said.

‘‘We are living in extreme fear,’’ said Dr Tipu Sultan, president of the Pakistan Medical Association in Karachi. ‘‘Nobody knows who will be the next target.’’

Dr Haseeb Alam, who works for a private hospital, said the targeted killings of doctors seemed aimed at undermining the government’s crackdown on extremists groups.

‘‘Doctors are the soft target. But their killings make a big impact and create fear and frustration in the society,’’ he said.

Most of the doctors killed were not linked to any political and religious organisation.

In January, General Pervez Musharraf outlawed three sectarian groups and two Islamic guerrilla groups in an attempt to curb violence. But since then, targeted killings have risen.