HYDERABAD: Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Teachers Association has called for immediate withdrawal of the FIR registered against a faculty member Prof Dr Iqbal Shah and several other doctors of the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH).

The case was registered in the light of a judicial order regarding the death of a young dengue patient on October 22.

Addressing a news conference at the local press club, President of the Association Prof Dr Farzana Shaikh, Vice President Prof Dr Mohammad Kashif Shaikh, General Secretary Dr Salman Shams Memon, Prof Dr Faheem Memon and others regretted that police had registered the FIR under murder charges straightaway without getting the case investigated through the Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC). They said that if cases were filed that way, doctors would not be able to perform their duties with complete peace of mind.

They said that all doctors were performing their duties in a hostile environment since the registration of the FIR following the death of a young dengue patient (Hasnain Zardari) who was attended by no fewer than seven consultants of various disciplines, but he could not survive.

Decide to boycott OPDs and private practice today

Dr Kashif Shaikh, a senior cardiologist, pointed out that the doctors were doing their best to attend the ailing humanity despite facing abnormal behaviours from attendants in hospital.

He said the FIR should be withdrawn by the Hyderabad DIG. He said the committee formed by the health department would probe the case accordingly, and doctors and Prof Iqbal Shah would be appearing before it for recording their statements.

He maintained that the victim suffered from dengue on Oct 9 and he got treatment for around 10 days outside the LUH. He said the patient reported to the LUH on Oct 19 when he was too frail to walk.

Dr Kashif said he was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) because of his critical condition and unfortunately he died there on Oct 22, but not before he was examined by the consultants of seven disciplines within just two days. “The patient also suffered from pneumonia of lungs and developed other complications, thus, he didn’t survive,” said the cardiologist.

He said senior doctors could understand legal issues, but the junior female doctors were simply scared of the FIR filed against them.

Dr Kashif said the doctors had decided to boycott the OPDs on Friday as well as their private practices. He said emergencies would keep performing. “There are 30 beds available in the dengue’s medical ward of the LUH and 80 patients remain in queue for admission. This is the load of patients,” he remarked.

He asserted that the doctors did not want any conflict or confrontation with any institution as they just wanted them to understand their issues also. He said the university management had been requested to engage a lawyer for the faculty member.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2025