MULTAN: The Pakistan Medical Association’s Khanewal chapter on Tuesday took back its strike call it had given over the lodging of an FIR against a doctor on the complaint of an intelligence officer (IO) of police’s special branch.

The Khanewal city police lodged an FIR No 172/20 against private hospital owner Dr Ishfaq and his two sons Muhammad Usman and Muhammad Zeeshan besides four unidentified people over the complaint of Muhammad Kashif, an intelligence officer of police’s special branch, on March 3. The IO stated that on April 1 he went to Kanwar Mumtaz Surgical Hospital to get information about coronavirus but over his query Dr Ishfaq become furious, used abusing language and misbehaved with him.

He stated that he left the hospital for his office after the incident and was on his way home when Dr Ishfaq, his sons and unidentified persons in two cars tortured him and snatched his official card.

After the case was registered, the PMA Khanewal chapter announced strike from Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Sherazi intervened and held sessions with both parties which led to reconciliation.

PMA Khanewal General Secretary Dr Zahid Mehmood Khan said the IO misused his authority and there was no reality in the incident of torturing, threatening and abusing him by the owner of the hospital. He said the PMA had taken back its call for strike after the DC intervened.

Special Branch’s district officer DSP Muhammad Tariq said the staff of the branch was assigned duties to collect data from both government and private hospitals and the IO was on his duty.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2020