LOWER DIR: The employees of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Timergara, locals and workers of various political parties staged a protest against the death of two TMA workers, blocking the Timergara-Chitral Road for nearly two hours by placing the bodies outside the district headquarters hospital here on Saturday.

The protesters alleged that TMA employee Salahuddin alias Raja, a resident of Paito Dara and sweeper Waqar Masih were shifted to the DHQ Hospital after sustaining critical injuries when a tractor-trolley overturned. They further claimed that no doctors or nursing staff were present in the emergency unit at that time, which delayed immediate medical treatment for the victims.

According to protesters, both men succumbed to their injuries after excessive blood loss. The blockade caused long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road and left commuters stranded for hours.

Addressing the gathering, Pakistan Peoples’ Party leader Alam Zeb advocate, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Malik Kashif Kamal and Jamaat-i-Islami leaders Shoaib Ahmad and Mohammad Usman strongly criticised the hospital administration. They alleged that the hospital’s service delivery system had deteriorated significantly and that medical staff had failed to provide timely treatment to patients.

Protesters accuse medics at district headquarters hospital of negligence

The speakers said the deceased were poor labourers and held the relevant hospital staff responsible for their deaths. They demanded a transparent inquiry into the incident and legal action against those found responsible, warning that the protest movement could be expanded if their demands were not met.

Later, former provincial minister Mahmood Zeb Khan, Shahab Atmani and Malik Kashif Kamal represented the protesters in talks with the district administration. The official side was represented by additional deputy commissioner Wajid Ali, assistant commissioner Timergara Zarak Khan and DSP Headquarters Ibrahim Khan.

After prolonged negotiations, the two sides reached an understanding, following which the protesters called off the demonstration and reopened the road for traffic.

The bodies were subsequently handed over to the bereaved families. Salahuddin was laid to rest in his native village of Paito Dara, while Waqar Masih was buried in the government cemetery.

When contacted, Dr Liaqat, who was on duty in the emergency ward, rejected the allegations of negligence and said both the injured workers were brought to the hospital in a critical condition.

He said the victims had suffered multiple serious injuries including fractures to their hip bones and had already lost a significant amount of blood when they reached the hospital.

“Given the severity of their injuries and the extent of blood loss, their chances of survival were extremely slim,” he said.

Dr Liaqat maintained that the hospital staff made every possible effort to save their lives, but they could not survive due to critical condition.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2026