After two years on the job, ‘fake doctor’ busted

Suspect worked in Polyclinic emergency dept; officials blame previous admin

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police on Wednesday arrested a man from Polyclinic on fraud charges. The man had been working as a doctor at the hospital for the last two years despite failing to show any qualifications, the police said.

Hospital officials, requesting anonymity, said Abid Malik had been working in the emergency department and other sections, checking patients, and prescribing medicine, for around two years. They said Malik worked at the hospital without a proper appointment and also did not possess any medical qualifications.

They blamed former medico-legal officer (MLO) Dr Tanveer Ahmed, under whom they said the suspect worked for most of the time in the emergency department.

The hospital security chief on Wednesday handed Malik over to the Aabpara police for pretending to be a doctor.

Police booked him for assaulting and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his duty, and for impersonating a doctor.

SI Fayaz Ahmed, investigation officer for the case, said the suspect was presented before a magistrate on Thursday and was released on bail.

A hospital official said Malik used to work as a house officer in the emergency department.

Asked how a person could ‘practice’ at the hospital without appointment, Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Amjad Mahmood Raja said the previous administration would know the answer.

Raja, who took charge last month, said Malik came to his office and threatened him for transferring Dr Tanveer Ahmed to the nephrology department.

“He said he was president of the doctor’s wing of a political party and threatened to gather a group of doctors against me,” said Mahmood, adding that Malik could not show any proof of his qualifications or official designation at the hospital.

Talking to The Express Tribune, former MLO Dr Tanveer Ahmed said he did not know Malik and denied having ever facilitated the suspect.

Malik was could not be reached for his comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2016.