HYDERABAD: Doctors belonging to the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Hyderabad chapter have complained to the senior superintendent of police (SSP) about lack of security at the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) city branch where women doctors even avoid performing duties during night shifts.

They quoted a few separate incidents in which doctors, including the hospital MS, were harassed and insulted by police.

They raised these issues at the PMA House on Thursday where SSP Irfan Baloch was invited for tea. District PMA president Iqbal Haroon Memon presented an address of welcome. Sindh general secretary of his own faction of PMA Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi LUH MS Dr Rafiqul Hassan Khokhar, PMA executive committee member Dr Agha Taj and former PMA president Dr Wasim Shaikh were present.

Dr Memon said doctors and professors were leaving the country due to kidnapping and extortion threats. Gunmen even resorted to firing in the emergency ward of the LUH, insulted and manhandled doctors as well as paramedics, he said. But doctors were still serving patients in such conditions, he said and demanded security for doctors so that they could treat patients with complete peace of mind.

He said registration of FIR against doctors in any matter should be probed.

He proposed a PMA-police liaison committee.

Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi proposed on behalf of doctors that police recommend armed licences for them. The LUH was now surrounded by truck stands and doctors were facing threats in the hospital. They were even beaten by patients’ relatives for no crime, he said. “Situation of the law and order in the LUH is the worst. It can’t be controlled even by the SSP [Hyderabad] as it is to be handled by the IG Police of Sindh,” admitted MS Dr Rafiq Khokhar, saying that he would personally meet the IGP.

SSP Irfan Baloch told doctors that district police would give recommendations for armed licenses to doctors. He promised to provide them security at clinics and doctors lane.

He urged doctors to share information with him if they received threat.

The SSP said police would deal with these cases on their own without even asking them to come forward for lodging FIR. He announced setting up of a PMA-police liaison committee.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play