Testimony: Aide says Dr Asim ordered treatment of militants

ATC extends ex-Ziauddin Hospital chief’s remand by seven days

KARACHI: A top Ziauddin Hospital official testified on Monday that militants affiliated with political and religious groups had been treated at the facility on Dr Asim Hussain’s orders. The court extended Dr Hussain’s physical remand for seven days.

Dr Asim – chairman of Ziauddin group of hospitals and a close confidante of Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari – was appearing before Magistrate Ali Akbar at city court.

During the hearing, former deputy managing director of Ziauddin Hospital, Dr Yousuf Sattar, testified before the magistrate. According to an informed source, Dr Sattar said he had received instructions from Dr Asim in addition to requests from Dr Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar, Saleem Shahzad and Anis Qaimkhani of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Qadir Patel of the Pakistan Peoples Party to treat militants.

“Some MQM leaders used to call me in order to influence me to provide medical assistance to terrorists injured in clashes with rivals and law enforcers,” he said.

Dr Sattar added that some militants had also been provided refuge at the hospital’s sprawling facilities in North Nazimabad and Clifton.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau sought the ATC’s permission to question Dr Asim in connection with corruption references. The court allowed the accountability body to join the investigations.

Dr Rauf Siddiqui granted pre-arrest bail

Dr Siddiqui on Monday sought interim pre-arrest bail, in connection with the case lodged by the Rangers against Dr Asim.

Justice Phulphoto granted him a four-day pre-arrest bail subject to furnishing of a Rs200,000 surety bond.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st,  2015.