LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Monday directed the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department to suspend three doctors and as many other employees of the Nishtar Hospital, Multan from service, besides two station house officer (SHOs), over desecration of unclaimed human bodies found on the hospital’s roof.

Those suspended are: Nishtar Hospital’s anatomy department head Prof Dr Maryam Ashraf, demonstrators Dr Abdul Wahab and Dr Seerat Abbas, Shah Rukn-e-Aalam Colony police station SHO Umar Farooq and Seetal Mari police station SHO Saeed Sial. Hospital employees Ghulam Abbas, Muhammad Sajjad Nasir and Abdul Rauf were also suspended.

Earlier, health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid briefed the chief minister and presented inquiry report on the desecration of the unclaimed bodies.

Three hospital employees also among those penalised

The chief minister also ordered action under PEEDA Act against the negligent officials, saying such treatment of corpses was unacceptable as Islamic teachings about the burial of dead bodies were clear. “An inhumane act has been committed by throwing dead bodies on the [hospital’s] rooftop and desecration of corpses is intolerable,” he said.

Former federal minister Moonis Elahi, inspector general of police, additional chief secretary (ACS) Home, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department special secretary and were also present.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2022