CHINIOT: City police have registered a case against several suspects on the complaint of an orthopaedic surgeon, who alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods at his private clinic following a dispute over the filming of patients at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

Complainant Dr Sohaib Anwar associated with the DHQ Hospital told police that the incident occurred while he was attending to patients at his private clinic.

According to the complaint, lawyer Nadeem Ahmad, social media activists Ali Ahmad Sipra and Azhar Hussain Sipra, along with five unidentified armed men carrying pistols, allegedly entered the clinic and attacked him with iron rods, injuring him on different parts of his body.

The doctor further alleged that people present at the scene intervened to rescue him, prompting the suspects to flee after hurling threats.

Dr Sohaib was taken to the DHQ Hospital for treatment. In a video interview recorded there, he said the attackers had earlier filmed patients in his office at the hospital, prompting security guards to stop them.

Police said the complainant subsequently approached the authorities for legal action. A case was registered under Sections 148, 149, 337-F(i), 337-A(i), 440, 355 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, relating to rioting, unlawful assembly, causing hurt, mischief and criminal intimidation, among other offences.

Further investigation into the allegations is under way.

Meanwhile, scores of doctors and paramedical staff staged a protest against the alleged attack on their colleague and demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of the suspects.

They also called for rules to prevent unauthorised filming at the DHQ Hospital, saying the dignity and privacy of patients, particularly women, must be protected during treatment.

However, some social media activists condemned the registration of the case, alleging that the doctor often skipped his duties at the DHQ Hospital to attend to patients at his clinic. They claimed that when they raised the issue, the doctor had the case registered against them on false charges.

Lawyers also condemned the registration of the case against a fellow lawyer and demanded that the FIR be quashed.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2026