KARACHI, Oct 25: When you enter the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital from one of the side-entrances, you see a slogan that has been put on the wall in green and which calls for the arrest of a doctor's killers. The slogan has been sponsored by the supporters of a Karachi-based political party.

The slogan seems to be a reminder to the days when, following the murder of six doctors and two other staff, fear reigned supreme at the hospital. During those days people in need of treatment and also philanthropists desirous of donating money thought several times before entering the hospital's premises.

The names of the doctors who were killed in the hospital during the last 10 or so year are: Dr Jaffer Abbas, deputy medical superintendent; Dr Javed Ahmed Khan, RMO general; Dr Karim Qureshi, assistant professor; Dr Anwar-us-Salam, professor of ENT; Dr Zafar Iqbal William, MLO; and, Dr Sarfraz Ali Shah, ENT consultant. In addition, the driver of an MS, and Iqbal Memon - a health coordinator - were also killed.

Dr Anjum Khurshid, the medical superintendent whose driver was killed, became so disheartened after his murder that he left the country for good. Today he practises medicine in the United Kingdom.

Syed Khalid Hussein, a senior doctor, was slapped by a politician for turning up late in an emergency, according to sources. He too headed for the western countries soon after the ugly incident.

The situation, however, has improved in the last six or so months, according to the hospital's deputy medical superintendent, Dr Faizur Rehman Farooqui. He acknowledged that until six months ago, the hospital was the hotbed of a political strife between two political parties, one controlling the city government and the other the provincial government.

But because he himself was not a party activist, he was able to galvanize the efforts of the staff for the betterment of the hospital, regardless of whichever party they supported politically, claimed Dr Farooqui. "The staff have put their political differences behind them and are cooperating in the interest of the hospital."

Several sources agreed with Dr Farooqui's contention. They said even if the situation was far from perfect, it was certainly improving. The doctors and paramedical staff were not scared of the political workers as they once were.