Hours after a deadly rampage at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, the Grand Health Alliance has shut down the hospital, including emergency, and asked patients to leave the premises immediately.

The action to close the hospital until further notice came amid a call for strike by the doctors across the province in response to an attack on the hospital by rowdy lawyers on Wednesday morning that had left three people dead.

Meanwhile, Young Consultants Association (YCA) announced a nationwide strike after the violent protest. YCA President Dr Hammad Butt said that no consultant will be on duty across the province on Thursday.

At least three patients lost their lives and several others were injured after a mob of disgruntled lawyers stormed the cardiology institute ransacked the hospital wards and operation theatres. The number of deceased however could increase as some patients –in critical condition– were left unattended after the lawyers barged inside emergency wards, said GHA Chairman Dr Salman Haseeb.

The lawyers were protesting against a video that went viral on social media on Tuesday, in which a doctor is seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group.

According to the doctor in the video, a group of lawyers had gone to the inspector general of police and told him to charge “two doctors” under Section 7 of ATA. He narrated that the IG had refused while the lawyers had urged him to press charges, saying “they could save face” that way.

The Punjab Bar Council has also announced that they would boycott courts on Thursday and take out rallies against the doctors.