Amraiz Khan
Lahore
At least six patients breathed their last and several others were injured after several lawyers stormed into the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and ransacked the hospital wards and operation theatres. Then they went rampant and tortured doctors, Provincial Minister, media men, patients’ attendants and whosoever came to their way.
About 20 lawyers allegedly involved in creation of law and order situation were arrested at the hand of police. When this scribe contacted Additional IGP Inam Ghani to know the action against lawyers, he said, yet no decision has be taken that what sort of action will be taken against lawyers”.
Different Associations of lawyers including Pakistan Bar Council, Lahore High Court Bar, Lahore Bar and others have given the call of strike for Thursday in the province in favour of their demands. They were demanding arrest of doctors involved in torture on lawyers and registration of cases against them.
On the other hand doctors have also announced strike for Thursday till the arrest of lawyers involved in ransack and torture on their colleagues. The attack on the hospital was triggered by a ‘video’ wherein a doctor could be heard mocking lawyers for an earlier incident where lawyers were beaten up by the doctors and hospital staffers.
The number of deaths was confirmed by Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid. However, doctors claimed that the number of people who died during the protest was more than 10.
The number of deceased could increase as some patients –in critical condition– were left unattended after the lawyers barged inside emergency wards, said Grand Health Alliance Chairman Dr Salman Haseeb.
Lawyers initially blocked the entry and exit points of the hospital, which led to a violent scuffle between the staff and lawyers. According to reports and the video footage, the protesting lawyers damaged equipment inside and broke windows of the hospital as well as cars parked outside. The protesters also smashed doors of emergency theatres and staff barely escaped the violence.
Meanwhile, the lawyers also attacked media personnel on the site with stones. A lady reporter, of a private media outlet was injured. Some of the protesters fired gunshots and pelted arriving police with stones and bricks, according to a hospital doctor, Ashraf Nizami. “It was catastrophic for hours,” Nizami said, adding that a 70-year-old lady patient had died, and several patients were left unattended for hours, during the violence.
Nizami said the attackers forced doctors and nurses to flee, leaving patients in emergency and intensive care unattended. Police fired tear gas to quell the mob while terrified patients and hospital staff fled to safety, officials said.
Punjab Information Minister Fayyazaul Hassan Chohan also got caught in the eye of the storm. The minister claimed that “lawyers had tried to kidnap” him. In a video, he can be seen being manhandled by a group of protesting lawyers.
Lahore DIG Operations Ashfaq Ahmad Khan also arrived at the hospital as the protest raged. He said that those who took the law into their own hands will be dealt with strongly.
Dr Asif, Patron-in-Chief of Young Doctors Association, told media that the physicians and nurses were attacked and brutally tortured by the lawyers. He alleged that the situation turned violent when some lawyers raised slogans to kill the doctors.
“Four to five doctors were wounded, whereas, I heard the report of the death of 5 to 6 patients,” he added.
Lahore High Court Bar Association’s secretary Fayyaz Ahmad Ranjha, when contacted, said that the lawyers have differences with the administration but the patients admitted in the hospital were not affected by the protestors. Ranjha claimed that the association will take strict action over complaints of damaging government assets by lawyers. He hinted to cancel licences of the practitioners if the association received any evidence against them.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took serious notice of the incident. He directed the Capital City Police Officer Lahore and Secretary Specialised Health Education to submit an inquiry report.
The chief minister announced that the provincial authorities will take strict action against the
