KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau on Tuesday submitted the report of an examination of Dr Asim Hussain by renowned psychiatrist Prof Dr Syed Haroon Ahmed in court.

On the previous hearing, the court had directed the NAB to get Dr Asim examined by Dr Ahmed and sought a report.

The report said that Dr Asim’s current “psychological disability” could cause irreparable damage if not attended to immediately.

It said: “The recent memory impairments, disturbance of attention and concentration, hypervigilance, impaired executive functions are due to deterioration of his cognitive functions made worse by continued detention, hopelessness, fear and inability for forecast next moment.

“As far as psychotherapy [ordered by the court] to overcome his cognitive disability, this exercise will further harm him if undertaken in his current environment. It is because in-depth exploration (debriefings) will push him into severe depression and provoke suicidal tendency [which has been held so far],” the report added.

It recommended that in order to retrieve him from what it called such a traumatic environment he may be moved to a less threatening environment like a hospital and provide intensive psychotherapy.

The court also directed the NAB to conduct the MRI of the suspect, produce its report before the psychiatrist concerned and provide treatment according to his advice.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2016