KARACHI, Jan 10: The forcibly-evicted doctors of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences were not allowed to enter the mental health institute on Friday despite the fact that they were in possession of a Sindh High Court order vacating the previous stay order.

Psychiatrists and human-rights activists assembled in front of the IBS campus on Suparco Road at around noon where the officials of a private security agency hurriedly locked the gates as the executive director of the IBS, Dr S. Haroon Ahmed, approached the institute. “We are under orders not to let you in,” they said. When asked who had given them such orders, they said: “Colonel Sahib.” They were referring to Tariq- uz-Zafar, a retired colonel.

Dr Haroon explained to the security officials that he had with him a Sindh High Court order which vacated the stay order issued previously. He added that he wanted to hand over the order to the Colonel. As the security officials went to fetch Colonel Sahib, Dr Haroon showed to Dawn the Sindh High Court order signed by Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi which says: “Counter-affidavit has been filed by defendants No 1 and 2. Mr Akhtar Hussain, advocate has filed power as well as Mr Kazim Hassan, advocate appears on behalf of defendant No 2. Copy of counter affidavit has been supplied to counsel for plaintiff who wants time to file rejoinder.

“On 11-12-2002 my learned Zia Perwez, J, has given notice for today and passed an order that defendants may be restrained from interfering with the discharging of duties by plaintiff in the management and control in relation to the Institute of Behavioral Sciences. This restrictive order was operative till today. I asked the counsel for the plaintiff to show on what grounds this restriction should continue. I further asked him as to whether the suit was filed in the personal capacity of the plaintiff or in his capacity as chairman/patron Board of Governors. No satisfactory reply has been given. Furthermore, the Board of Governors is constituted and comprised of eminent members of the society. I have noted that the chairman is Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid whilst a sitting Judge of this Court is also a member.

“Under the circumstances it is rather difficult to appreciate at this juncture that the Board of Governors would not know what is going on. The prayer is very general and vague. Hence the interim order granted earlier do not require any further extension. Order accordingly.”

Meanwhile, the deputy inspector general, operations, Tariq Jamil, called Dr Haroon on his mobile phone and asked him what was going on. Dr Haroon afterwards told Dawn that he had explained to the high-ranking police official that the former IBS doctors wanted to hand over the Sindh High Court order to Colonel Sahib and they needed police protection lest an untoward incident should happen. “But Mr Jamil contended that police force was not needed. He promised that he would send Gulshan Town Police Officer Dr Sanaullah Abbasi to the IBS.”

However, neither Dr Abbasi nor Colonel Sahib showed up.

In the meantime, at least four patients needing immediate medical treatment came to the IBS. Much to their consternation, they found the gates of the mental health institute locked. Seeing Dr Haroon there, they asked him why he had stopped coming to the IBS. Dr Haroon explained to them that he, as well as his colleagues, wanted to come to the IBS to treat his patients but he was not being allowed to do so. He told them that he was treating his patients at 90 Depot Line behind Prince Cinema.

A woman told Dr Haroon that she was very distressed because her daughter, whose condition had previously been improving under the treatment of Dr Haroon, had become very edgy. “I still bring my daughter to the IBS but the doctors are not able to do anything for her,” she complained.

The IBS security officials returned and told Dr Haroon that Colonel Sahib had declined to meet the doctors and human-rights activists in front of the IBS. They said that Colonel Sahib wanted the group to go away.

Dr Haroon spoke to Dr Sanaullah on phone who did not give a specific answer when asked whether or not Mr Jamil had told him to visit the IBS.

Dr Haroon told Dawn that the IBS was owned by the Pakistan Association of Mental Health. He added that he was more worried about the patients who had not been able to get proper medical treatment at the mental health institute since the start of the controversy.

Unable to enter the IBS, the group of doctors and human- rights activists dispersed peacefully.