KARACHI: Doctors at the Liaquat National Hospital have said the condition of Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Rashid Godil is stabilising, as the breathing apparatus has been removed on a ‘trial basis’.

A spokesman for the hospital said the doctors had weaned him off the ventilator by 60 per cent the previous day and his positive response to it encouraged them to remove the ventilator completely on Thursday morning. “The doctors fully removed the respirator at 9:45am on a trial basis, with everyone on standby to observe his reaction,” said Anjum Rizvi, the LNH spokesman.

“He has been breathing on his own since then but we consider him still in danger until he is shifted from the intensive care unit to the ward,” he added.

Mr Godil was mentally alert and was responding positively. His cerebral and kidney functions were normal as was his heartbeat and blood pressure, said Mr Rizvi.

“He had opened his eyes and can also move his hands and feet,” the spokesman said while quoting doctors who had been treating Mr Godil.

He said if he continued to show progress, he could be shifted to the ward after two or three days.

According to the doctors, Mr Godil had sustained five bullet wounds two in the neck and three in the chest and abdomen. One bullet that affected his right lung was still in the body and would stay there as his condition did not permit that he be operated upon.

Meanwhile, TV reporters waiting outside the emergency facility and guards of the Liaquat National Hospital scuffled during reporting on the update of the MQM MNA’s condition.

The reporters said the guards barred them first and then thrashed them when they tried to enter the hospital to visit Mr Godil. However, the hospital management said the media persons breached the limit they had earlier agreed to stay at, leading to a fracas between them. Three reporters and two guards were injured in the clash following which the reporters staged a sit-in for three hours on Stadium Road seeking action against the guards.

The police arrested three guards and booked them on a complaint of the wounded media persons, said Gulshan SP Abid Qaimkhani.

The police said five media persons were hurt while one guard was injured in the scuffle that broke out when some reporters were prevented from entering the hospital premises for coverage of some VIP who was expected to inquire after the condition of the lawmaker.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015

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