LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday directed the provincial health minister and Punjab Healthcare Commission to hold a detailed inquiry into death of a young lady doctor during delivery at a private hospital.

A citizen, Mian Mujahid, had filed a complaint with the chief justice saying his daughter gave birth to a baby boy with normal delivery at the hospital. However, he said, doctors took his daughter to operation theatre without disclosing any reason. He said the doctors kept her in the theatre for 20 hours before she died.

The applicant alleged that his daughter lost her life due to the negligence of doctors. He sought action against the doctors and the hospital’s management. The complainant told the chief justice that his second daughter was in coma since the death of her sister.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Punjab Healthcare Commission’s Chief Operating Officer Dr Ajmal Khan, and representatives of the hospital were present during the hearing.

Expressing concern over the death of a healthy woman after normal delivery, Chief Justice Nisar observed that the private hospitals were only minting money. He said the court would randomly select some famous private hospitals for their forensic audit.

The chief justice was told that a complaint had already been lodged with the healthcare commission and the death of the lady doctor was being investigated.

The chief justice directed the health minister and the healthcare commission to constitute an inquiry committee of senior doctors and submit its report after 10 days.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2018