03 May 2004	Monday	12 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

BAHAWALPUR, May 2: A five-member probe committee headed by Prof Dr Saeed Malik has submitted its interim report about the death of a six-year-old school child due to the alleged negligence of BVH doctors.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, the committee chairman said that he had sent his interim report on Sunday to Prof Dr Khursheed Ahmed Qureshi, the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College principal.

The chairman said that complainant Muhammad Afzal, father of deceased child Muneeb Afzal, had not appeared so far before the committee. He said at the beginning of the committee's meeting, the complainant had objected to the inclusion of Prof Dr Qasim Kichi.

Upon this, he said that Dr Kichi had himself withdrawn from the committee membership to pave way for the completion of the probe process and meet the requirements of the justice. But, the complainant did not appear before the committee to record his statement and prove his allegations.

He said the complainant, who had requested for adjournment for a few days, had been summoned again on May 4. Refusing to give out his findings, the chairman said that prima facie from the evidence of doctors involved and other staff members, it showed that Muneeb had already been brought in a critical condition.

He said the child was provided with a complete emergency treatment and was later shifted to the neuro ward, where the involved doctor, Mussadaq, also examined him and given medical treatment to him. However, in reply to a question, the chairman said that the CT scan of the deceased child had not been carried out due to the reasons unknown to him although the doctors had given the prescription to the child's attendants.

Dr Malik said it was a one-sided inquiry and that he had recorded the statements of some 25 employees and prepared about 27 annexures of it. He said unless and until the complainant appeared before the committee, recorded his evidence and cross-examined the doctors involved, the facts could not become clear.

He disclosed that Prof Dr Muhammad Yaseen had also offered the complainant to take oath on Quran of his charges against him, but Afzal had sought further time to appear before the committee.

Other four members of the committee are: Dr Qazi Masroor, Dr Bilal Ahsan, Dr Nazir Azhar and Dr Farooq. Funds' lapse: The district Naib Nazim has expressed the fear that millions of rupees grant released by the district government for repair and construction of roads will lapse by June 30.

In a press release issued here on Saturday, the Naib Nazim criticized works and departments concerned officials for their 'corruption' due to which funds would lapse.