May 9, 2002	Thursday	Safar 25, 1423

KARACHI, May 8: As the injured and dead of the suicide bombing were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s emergency ward, common patients visiting the ward faced hardships.

Several patients coming to the emergency ward were sent back or advised to wait for a while at some distance away from the emergency ward by the Naval personnel and watch and ward staff of the JPMC.

Following the arrival of the injured and dead bodies in Edhi and Pakistan Navy ambulances, the PN personnel blocked the main entrance of the emergency wards for common patients and visitors.

Even the JPMC staff posted at the emergency ward faced difficulties in getting through the PN personnel.

Similarly, journalists were also not allowed within the premises.

The postmortem attendant of the medicolegal section was also held back and not allowed to attend his duty.

As a last resort, some stretchers were taken out from the PN ambulances to block the passageway leading to the emergency ward.

Earlier, as the dead and injured started to arrive at the hospital, emergency was declared at the JPMC.

Additional medicolegal officers were also called in by the hospital authorities to cope with the emergency situation.

The three medicolegal officers appeared overwhelmed by the extraordinary situation as they tried to prepare a list of the injured and dead.

Later, a list of the dead and injured was also pasted outside the emergency ward.

Some nervous French officials were also present outside the emergency ward, preparing lists of the dead and injured. They were assisted by PN officials.

Personnel of several intelligence agencies were also seen busy collecting information about the dead and injured.

After several hours, some of the injured were shifted to PNS Shifa and Aga Khan Hospital for further treatment in PN ambulances.

A large number of people visiting the hospital had gathered at some distance away from the emergency ward eager to know what had happened. They were being kept away by the police and local watch and ward staff of the JPMC.

Dr Razzak, a physician at the Sheraton dispensary, was also anxiously waiting outside the emergency ward to identify a security guard of the hotel, posted at the parking lot.

“Initially, it felt like that the roof of the hotel had caved in and nearly all staff present in the hotel’s basement rushed outside in a bid to save their lives,” Dr Razzak said.

“After coming out, we realized that a bomb had exploded in a bus carrying some foreigners,” he said.

A similar situation prevailed in the Civil Hospital where three injured Frenchmen were taken for treatment and one of them died soon after arrival. Two injured were being treated when the Navy police reached the hospital and took over control of the casualty ward and disallowed people from entering the premises, causing problems to visiting patients.