ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: The spacious lawns of Pakistan institute of medical sciences (Pims) have become the hub of criminal activities, as attendants of patients are being deprived of their hard-earned belongings in the hands of some gangs operating here with the alleged connivance of police.

The culprits deceive the poor attendants while offering them some help, intoxicate them and later deprive them of their belongings. The police personnel deployed outside the hospital for security reasons are not only the alleged partners of the gangs but also remain busy in receiving bribe from the wagon drivers throughout the day.

It is a common practice that the attendants of poor patients are seen in the Pims lawns while taking rest in the daytime, as they come from far-flung areas and are unable to pay expenses of hotels.

“The looting incidents have become a routine matter as we have treated a number of patients who were sedated heavily and were left unattended at some places of the federal capital,” a doctor, on condition of anonymity, disclosed.

“Even one of my own relatives was sedated by someone last month on the premises of the hospital and deprived him of Rs30,000,” the doctor said.

The hospital management, however, blamed the local police and said “the hospital’s security guards though nabbed some pickpockets and handed them over to the police but no action was taken.” “Even an attempt to kidnap a 12-year-old girl from the hospital was frustrated some days before.”

“This shows that the culprits are operating with the connivance of police,” a security personnel alleged.

Khitab Omar, an old man from Hazara, was intoxicated by a person who offered him a biscuit. Later, he was deprived of Rs10,000, which he had brought from his village after mortgaging his small holdings.

Mr Omar told Dawn that on Saturday last, he was sitting at a bench in the hospital when a person with dark complexion asked him about the nature of his worries.

“I told him that my sister was admitted here and, I am not able to meet the expense of the treatment.” “He offered me he could arrange my meeting with some colonel Sahib who could provide help in this regard,” he said. He said the person later took him some where near Faisal Chowk and offered him a biscuit which he accepted. “After that I find myself lying in the emergency ward of the hospital,” he said.

Meanwhile, deputy executive director of Pims Dr Asif Mahmood said that he had taken some security measures by restricting the entry inside the hospital, but due to non-cooperation of the police, he is unable to take some solid measures.