QUETTA: A man has been arrested for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old boy in the nursing hostel of the Sandeman Civil Hospital in Quetta.

Police on Saturday said that the suspect was an employee of the Commu­nication and Works Department and worked in the hospital as an electrician.

They said the man had been arrested on the complaint of the victim’s mother, a staff nurse in the hospital.

The nurse said in her complaint to police that she was on duty at a ward when the electrician assaulted her son in her room in the nursing hostel.

A leader of the Balochistan Nursing Association, Riaz Louise, called for action against the suspect.

He told journalists that the electrician had been transferred from the Sandeman Civil Hospital to the Bolan Medical Complex some time ago after a student nurse had lodged complaint against him for harassing and slapping her.

He regretted that despite having prior knowledge about the suspect’s bad character the department had sent him to the Sandeman Civil Hospital.

The mother of the boy alleged that the suspect had warned her against lodging a complaint against him.

She accused the management of the hospital of not immediately responding to her complaint when she along with her son approached it. She said in the presence of senior members of the management her son had recognised the suspect.

The nurse said later when the matter was raised by the media, the hospital management advised her to lodge a complaint with the police.

She said that the authorities concerned should take notice of the presence of elements in state-run hospitals who were involved in sexual harassment.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2016