KARACHI, Aug 30: Police in civvies abused doctors at the casualty ward in the Civil Hospital after the doctors refused them a death certificate of a policeman without performing the postmortem examination on his body.

The police behaviour spread a wave of resentment among the doctors at the Civil Hospital and the matter was also brought to the notice of the medical superintendent of the hospital, the sources said.

Police brought the body of a constable Zahoor Ahmed, 43, from the Artillery Maidan police limits to the Civil Hospital. He had been on duty at the main entrance of the DIG operations office.

The doctors at the Civil Hospital said that Zahoor Ahmed was brought dead on arrival and a death certificate could not be issued without the postmortem examination to ascertain the cause of death. However, police contended that Zahoor had suffered a heart attack and a death certificate should be issued without the postmortem examination.

Chief Casualty Medical Officer (CCMO), Dr Tariq Ayubi, said DSP Headquarters Mohammad Nawaz Khan entered the casualty ward and asked for the death certificate. “I and my colleagues told him that a death certificate would be issued after the postmortem examination but he shouted at us. CMO Dr Talha Salman also tried to explain the situation but the DSP pushed him and physically abused him.”

Dr Yusuf Junejo, who was also present, said the DSP started abusing saying that death certificates were issued in the past after the doctors were bribed. The doctors said to the DSP that now no illegal certificate would be issued.

Later, the DSP was taken away from the hospital by his subordinates who were also in civvies. They also took away the body of Zahoor Ahmed.

The paramedical staff and other doctors abandoned their work in protest after the incident. But CCMO Dr Tariq said the doctors strike for an hour would create problems for visiting patients, so the work at the casualty ward was not stopped.

The CHK’s medical superintendent, Prof Noshad Shaikh, said Zahoor had been suffering from liver complications. He had been admitted to the Police Hospital a few months ago.

He said he was trying to pacify his doctors. “I have asked the aggrieved doctors to file a formal complaint. And I plan to take up the matter with the IGP.”