DADU: Doctors boycotted work in all government hospitals in Dadu and Jamshoro districts on Wednesday in protest against registration of an FIR against medical superintendent of Bhan Syedabad hospital Ghulam Sarwar Channo a day before.

The protesting doctors staged demonstrations in their respective towns and demanded cancellation of FIR lodged against their colleague.

The FIR was lodged after the death of one Imran Panhwar who had suffered serious injuries in an accident involving his motorcycle and a police mobile van in Bhan Syedabad a day before.

Imran’s motorcycle was hit by the mobile police van, which was part of motorcade of Sindh Minister for Labour Ghulam Murtaza Baloch passing through the town at that time.

The boycott was observed on a call issued by Pakistan Medical Association, Dadu and Jamshoro district chapters, at Dadu Civil Hospital, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences in Sehwan and Bhan Syedabad Hospital.

PMA district president Dr Amjad Hussain Mastoi said while addressing protesters that Panhwar had died in the road accident but the FIR was registered against the MS in order to protect the minister whose security squad was involved in the accident.

Dr Ghulam Rasool Daudpoto, a PMA leader at Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences, said that the FIR was an attempt to victimise the MS and health officials. Doctors had provided the required treatment to Panhwar when he was brought in but he did not survive due to his critical condition, he said.

He demanded Jamshoro SSP Touqir Naeem should launch an impartial inquiry into the matter and issue orders to cancel the FIR.

The protesting doctors at Bhan Syedabad Hospital warned that they would continue their protest till the FIR against MS was cancelled.

Lutuf Panhwar, maternal uncle of late Imran Panhwar, had lodged the FIR at Bhan Syedabad police station under Sections 319, 337-2 of PPC against MS Dr Channo, stating that as soon as Imran was injured he was brought to the hospital but the MS delayed his treatment which caused his death.

He said that Imran was a resident of Khairo Panhwar village and he was on the way to Bhan Syedabad town when he met the accident and later died.

Police lodged another FIR under Sections 279, 320, 337G and 427 of PPC against police van driver Haji Shakir Jokhio, who was allegedly involved in the accident, arrested him and took the mobile van into custody.

Doctors in taluka hospitals of Mehar, Johi, Khairpur Nathan Shah and basic health centres in Radhan and Tharri Mohabbat also boycotted OPDs and demanded cancellation of the FIR against the MS.

The boycott put patients and their attendants in great trouble as they had to return to their villages without receiving treatment.

Bails granted

The court of civil judge Sehwan granted bail to van driver Haji Shakir Jokhio for a surety bond of Rs50,000 and additional sessions judge awarded pre-arrest bail to MS Dr Channo for a surety bond of the like amount.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2018