The Punjab government on Friday suspended the principal and medical superintendent of Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital (SZMC&H), Rahim Yar Khan, for their lack of competence after an incident of sexual assault on a lady doctor took place in the hospital's premises.

Earlier this week, the doctors had said their colleague was alone in a room when a sweeper tried to overpower her. She cried to alert the security guards around and succeeded to save herself. Guards held the suspect and handed him over to the police.

Police spokesperson Zeeshan Randhawa told Dawn that a first information report was registered against the accused — a sweeper of a private sanitation company.

The principal, however, has denied the occurrence of any incident of a rape attempt.

SZMC&H Principal Professor Dr Mubarak Ali Chaudhary and Medical Superintendent Dr Ghulam Rabbani were both suspended by the secretary of specialised healthcare and medical education in Punjab under Section 6 of the Punjab Employees Discipline and Accountability Act 2006 (PEDA).

Dr Abdul Rehman professor of Pathology (BS-20) was assigned to take charge of the post of principal of SZMC&H.

The MS of the hospital has also been suspended under the same section while Dr Khalid Mehmood has given the additional charge of MS.

Focal person for SZMC&H Rana Illyas Ahmed confirmed to Dawn that the suspensions had taken place

Dr Shabbir Warriach of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) alleged that in the incident of sexual assault on lady doctor by a sweeper on Wednesday, the principal and MS had pressurised the victim.

Warriach also said that all the doctors of YDA will hold a protest demonstration on Saturday against the senior doctors' act to save the sweeper.