MULTAN, Dec 6: Additional District and Sessions Court Judge (Justice of Peace) Humairatuz Zuhra issued on Friday a stay order restraining the Nishtar Hospital authorities from withdrawing life support being provided to a patient in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Qazi Tahir Ismail, of Old Bahawalpur Road, filed a protection petition with the court making respondents the Nishtar medical superintendent, the station house officer of Cantonment police, Nishtar Medical College Principal Dr Sami Akhtar, ICU In Charge Dr Salman Waris, Professor of Medicine Dr Muhaiuddin, Dr Shahid Rafique, Dr Muhammad Azhar, ICU Senior Registrar Dr Aatir Fayyaz, Dr Aftab Warraich and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology Chief Executive Dr Rana Altaf.

The petitioner said his daughter, Fakhira Ahmad, had been in a coma in Nishtar Hospital’s ICU since Aug 23, 2009.

Fakhira was administered an overdose of a painkiller injection by the medical staff of a private hospital, Medicare Hospital, during child birth on Aug 23, 2009, resulting in damage to a major part of her brain.

She went into coma, while the baby she delivered died due to brain damage.

He said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken suo motu notice of the incident. The Punjab government had constituted a probe committee that summoned Dr Sami Akhtar, Faraz Gul, Dr Rana Altaf, Dr Shahida Parveen, Dr Kashif Siddique, Dr Aatir Fayyaz and Dr Salman Waris for an inquiry and held responsible the doctors for the incident.

An FIR No 242/10 under sections 322, 336 and 334 of the Pakistan Penal Code was lodged with the Cantonment police station on March 25, 2010.

He said on the directions of the Supreme Court, his daughter was sent to China for treatment by the Punjab government and Medicare Hospital owners.

He said Fakhira was under treatment in Nishtar Hospital’s ICU on the directions of the Supreme Court after an undertaking was given by the doctors that they would treat the patient.

She is on a tracheotomy tube to help her breathe, a urine bag to urinate, a peg tube for feeding and a splint to hold straight her body parts.

He said despite his daughter was on so many medical devices, Dr Sami Akhtar had arranged a report from his subordinates declaring his daughter fit for home-based care. He said some of the respondents were directly responsible for this condition of the patient.

He said he contacted the Cantonment police and asked for the help but in vain.

He requested the court to direct the hospital not to discharge his daughter until her recovery.

The judge directed the SHO to submit a report to the court before Dec 10.

“Since the matter is of an emergent nature and question of precious life of Fakhira is involved, respondent administrators and doctors are directed not to discharge her from Nishtar Hospital and provide her complete treatment in the light of an order of the Supreme Court till this petition is finally disposed of,” the judge concluded.