RAWALPINDI: A brawl occurred between policemen and doctors in the emergency department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) on Saturday, halting medical services and creating problems for patients.

Doctors accused the police of misbehaving and taking illegal advantage of their uniforms.

However, the police said doctors showed negligence in providing emergency treatment to an ailing officer.

City Police Officer (CPO) Mohammad Ahsan Younas ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to sources, Sub-Inspector Asif Sajjad, serving as the station house officer (SHO) of RA Bazaar, took his ailing brother SI Tauseef to the emergency of BBH.

When he requested a doctor to check the patient, the doctor started arguing with him and delayed in examining the patient.

On this, a brawl occurred between the doctors and the policemen accompanying the SHO during which the emergency ward was ransacked.

Panic gripped the patients and their attendants who came out and stayed in the lawns of the hospital.

The sources said the emergency services remained suspended for two hours.

The Young Doctors Association expressed concerns over the attitude of the policemen. They demanded the city police officer take action against the officials.

BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Nawaz Khokhar managed to start the services in the emergency department.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Khokhar condemned the incident and said senior doctors had been asked to conduct an inquiry by Monday.

He said emergency services resumed after a small break and all patients were given medical treatment.

He said senior police officials also visited the hospital and the matter would be solved soon.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2021